The Congress has returned to power in Karnataka after seven years. Of the 223 seats for which elections were held on May 5, the Congress clinched 121 seats, while the BJP and the Janata Dal-Secular managed to win 40 each.

The Karnataka Janatha Party of BS Yeddyurappa and the BSR Congress of B Sriramulu performed poorly and were reduced to single digits.

The Samajwadi Party opened its account for the first time in the state by winning Chennapatna seat. Major upsets of election outcome were the defeat of Karnataka State Congress President G Parameshwar and former State President of BJP K S Eshwarappa.

Chief Minister Jagadish Shetter submitted his resignation to the Governor on Wednesday evening after the defeat of his party.

The BJP Parliamentary Board met in New Delhi on Wednesday evening, to discuss their massive defeat in Karnataka.

Several leaders among the BJP top brass conceded that the decision to remove BS Yeddyurappa from the Chief Minister's post and his subsequent decision to form his own party has been a major contributor, along with infighting, which led to their rout in the Karnataka Assembly poll.