Bangalore (AsiaNews / Agencies) - After nine years of unchallenged rule the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ultranationalist Hindu party has lost control of Karnataka. Congress, the ruling party in India's Union Government won the election gaining a full majority, with 116 out of 223 constituencies. 113 seats are required to form the government. The second party seems to be the Janata Dal (JD), a left-wing secular party, only present in Karnataka and Kerala.
The elections were held on May 5. In recent times, the party has tried every possible means to regain consensus and grab votes, even using lepers. According to some, even the April 17 explosion near the headquarters of the BJP in Bangalore was a "trick" to curry favor with the party votes.
Compared to previous years and forecasts of the last days, the BJP is decimated. Its defeat is good news especially for social and religious minorities of Karnataka, victims in these years of violence and persecution of the Hindu ultranationalist groups, openly supported by the BJP.
According to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), in 2012 Karnataka recorded 41 anti-Christian attacks, more than any other Indian state.