The verdict of the Karnataka Elections 2018 will be clear in a few hours. As of now, the BJP is leading across the southern state. It appears that the state will stick to its tradition of never bringing the same government to power consecutively.

Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka CM, who is contesting from two seats is leading in one but trailing in the other. Yeddyurappa is confidently surging on his way to victory in his bastion – Shikaripura. Elsewhere, JD(S) CM candidate is performing like Siddaramaiah – trailing in Channapatna and leading in Ramanagaram.

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Here is a look at key seats which have been in focus due to the contestants, the region’s geography or its history.

(Note: Names in bold indicate sitting MLA and his party. In some cases, the sitting MLA who won from a particular party in 2013 is contesting on a different ticket now. In that case, both the party and name of candidate have been highlighted separately.)

The following list is being updated.

1. Chamundeshwari — one of the two constituencies of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.

WINNER: GT Deve Gowda, JD(S)

Contestants:

Siddaramaiah, Congress

Gopal Rao, BJP

GT Deve Gowda, JD(S)

 

2. Badami — one of the two constituencies of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.

WINNER: Siddaramaiah, Congress

Contestants:

Siddaramaiah, Congress

B Sriramulu, BJP

H Mavinamarad, JD(S)

 

3. Shikaripura — BJP’s CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa is contesting from this seat.

WINNER: BS Yeddyurappa, BJP

Contestants:

Goni Malatesh, Congress

BS Yeddyurappa, BJP

HT Baligar, JD(S)

 

4. Channapatna — one of the two constituencies of JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Leading: JD(S)

Contestants:

HM Revanna, Congress

CP Yogishwar, BJP (Yogishwar had won in 2013 on a SP ticket.)

HD Kumaraswamy, JD(S)

 

5. Ramanagaram — one of the two constituencies of JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Leading: JD(S)

Contestants:

HA Iqbal Hussain, Congress

H Lilavathi, BJP

HD Kumaraswamy, JD(S)

 

6. Shimoga — Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, KS Eshwarappa, is a candidate from here.

WINNER: KS Eshwarappa, BJP

Contestants:

KS Eshwarappa, BJP

KB Prasanna Kumar, Congress

HN Niranjan, JD(S)

 

7. Varuna — Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, is contesting from here.

WINNER: Yathindra, Congress

Contestants:

Yathindra, Congress

Thotadappa Basavaraj, BJP

Abhishek, JD(S)

 

8. Ballari (city) — one of the Reddy brothers is contesting from here

WINNER: G Somashekhara Reddy, BJP

Contestants:

Anil H Lad, Congress

G Somashekhara Reddy, BJP

Mohamad Iqbal Hothur, JD(S)

 

9. Harapanahalli — one of the Reddy brothers is contesting from here

WINNER: G Karunakar Reddy, BJP

Contestants:

MP Ravindra, Congress

G Karunakar Reddy, BJP

Arasikere N Kotresh, JD(S)

 

10. Bangalore South  — largest constituency by size of electorate.

Leading: BJP

Contestants

RK Ramesh, Congress

M Krishnappa, BJP

R Prabhakar Reddy, JD(S)

 

11. Sringeri  —- smallest constituency by size of electorate and has a temple to which Tipu Sultan donated.

WINNER: TD Rajegowda, Congress

Contestants:

TD Rajegowda, Congress

DN Jeevaraj, BJP

HG Venkatesh,JD(S)

 

12. Haliyal — largest constituency by area.

WINNER: RV Deshpande, Congress

Contestants:

RV Deshpande, Congress

Sunil V Hegde, BJP

KR Ramesh, JD(S)

 

13. Dasarahalli — smallest constituency by area.

Leading: JD(S)

Contestants:

PN Krishnamurthy, Congress

S Muniraju, BJP

R Manjunatha, JD(S)

 

14. Challakere — a key constituency in Chitradurga, which has a history with Tipu Sultan.

Leading: Congress

Contestants:

T Raghumurthy,Congress

KT Kumaraswamy, BJP

Raveesh Kumar,JD(S)

 

15. Chitradurga — the centre of a war between Hyder Ali and Veera Madakari Nayaka.

Leading: BJP

Contestants:

Dr HA Shanmukhappa, Congress

GH Thippareddy, BJP

KC Veerendra,JD(S)

 

16. Holalkere — a key constituency in Chitradurga, which has a history with Tipu Sultan.

WINNER: M Chandrappa, BJP

Contestants:

H Anjaneya, Congress

M Chandrappa, BJP

Srinivasa Gaddige T, JD(S)

 

Read More: Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 | The vote of Tipu Sultan

 

 

17. Madikeri — one of the two constituencies in Kodagu district, which has the strongest anti-Tipu sentiments in Karnataka.

WINNER: Appachu Ranjan, BJP

Contestants:

KP Chandrakala, Congress

Appachu Ranjan, BJP

BA Jivijaya, JD(S)

 

18. Virajpet — one of the two constituencies in Kodagu district, which has the strongest anti-Tipu sentiments in Karnataka.

WINNER: KG Bopaiah, BJP

Contestants:

Arun Machaiah CS, Congress

KG Bopaiah, BJP

Sanketh Poovaiah M, JD(S)

 

19. Mandya — a key constituency in Tipu Sultan’s capital, Srirangapatna.

WINNER: M Srinivas, JD(S)

Contestants:

P Ravikumar, Congress

N Shivanna, BJP

M Srinivas, JD(S)

 

20. Srirangapatna — Tipu Sultan’s capital.

WINNER: AS Ravindra, JD(S)

Contestants:

AB Ramesha Bandisiddegowda, Congress

KS Nanjundegowda, BJP

AS Ravindra, JD(S)

 

21. Krishnarajpet — a key constituency in Tipu Sultan’s capital, Srirangapatna.

WINNER: Narayanagowda, JD(S)

Contestants:

KB Chandrashekar, Congress

BC Manju, BJP

Narayanagowda, JD(S)

 

22. Mangaluru — Christians in this coastal constituency were the target of Tipu Sultan in 1784.

WINNER: UT Khader, Congress

Contestants:

UT Khader, Congress

Santhosh Kumar Rai Boliyaru, BJP

K Ashraf, JD(S)

 

23. Chamaraja — one of the constituencies in Mysore, which was the capital of the Mysore royal family

WINNER: L Nagendra, BJP

Contestants:

Vasu, Congress

L Nagendra,BJP

KS Rangappa,JD(S)

 

24. Krishnaraja — one of the constituencies in Mysore, which was the capital of the Mysore royal family

WINNER: SA Ramadas, BJP

Contestants:

MK Somashekar, Congress

SA Ramadas, BJP

Mallesh KV, JD(S)

 

25. Narasimharaja — one of the constituencies in Mysore, which was the capital of the Mysore royal family.

WINNER: Tanveer Sait, Congress

Contestants:

Tanveer Sait, Congress

S Satheesh, BJP

Abdul Azeez, JD(S)