Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) created history in Belagavi by winning 36 wards out of 58 Municipal Corporation wards on Monday. The BJP is set to take the reign of the Belagavi corporation for the first time. Congress has won in 9 wards and others are on 13. The counting is underway.

Maharashtra Ekikarana Samiti (MES), the dominant political entity in Belagavi urban politics, ended up winning only 2 wards. And All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) secured only one ward.

But, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi witnessed hung municipal corporations. Both BJP and Congress did not secure clear majority. In Kalaburagi 28 is the magic number and 42 is majority mark in Hubballi-Dharwad.

As per the latest reports, Congress has won in 27 wards while BJP won 23 wards and JDS is victorious in 4 wards in Kalaburagi municipal corporation. Elections were held for 55 wards.

Read: BJP’s historic win in Belagavi Palike ends MES’ divisive politics

BJP secured the highest number of wards in Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation. The ruling BJP won 39 seats out of 82 in Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation. Congress won 33 wards and JDS -1. Also, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has bagged 3 seats in Hubballi-Dharwad. Independents won in 6 wards.

Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM has made inroads in the urban local bodies of the state. AIMIM is successful in registering victories in Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad.

Municipal elections:

The polls for three corporations were held on September 3 by adhering to COVID-19 protocols. In the 82-ward Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation, 420 candidates are in the fray. In Kalaburagi 300 candidates are in fray for 55-ward. For the 58-ward Belagavi corporation, 385 candidates are in the fray.

Belagavi corporation has 58 wards and 385 candidates are in the fray. In 2013, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the 82-ward Hubballi-Dharwad corporation, the Congress had won 55-ward Kalaburagi corporation.