Bengaluru: The counting of votes for Urban Local Body elections is underway in Karnataka, which is yet another litmus test for Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after the MLC poll results, where the BJP improved its tally from 6 to 11.

For Congress, the results in its favor would bolster their confidence in the runup to the 2023 state assembly polls.

According to latest updates, the Congress has won 501 seats, while BJP has grabbed 431 seats. The JDS has won 45 seats and others 207.

Voting for 58 ULBs and 381 gram panchayats were held on December 27. This includes polls and bypolls to 1,185 wards in five city municipal councils, 19 town municipal councils and 34 town panchayats. Also, elections were conducted to fill up 1,264 seats in gram panchayats.

As many as seven ULBs including Gadag-Betageri and Hospet were put on hold even though

their term ended in 2019 due to cases pending in courts pertaining to their delimitation.

The government held the elections now on a court order.

Commenting on poll results, Senior Congress Leader Siddaramaiah said Congress winning more seats compared to the ruling BJP is reflection of its hopeless governance. "This is an indication of what we can expect in the eventual General Elections," he told reporters.

People of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said, have shown BJP that it cannot win with money power and the result is the lesson taught for anti-people and the corrupt saffron party. However, the results are not precursor for future elections, he said.