Maintaining its initial leads, the ruling BJP in Karnataka was racing ahead in 16 of the 28 constituencies followed by Congress in nine and JDS in three seats.
The initial trends indicate that the BJP may not be in a position to better its tally of 18 seats in the 2004 polls.
In Bangalore South, BJP general secretary HN Anantkumar was trailing by more than 5870 votes against Krishna Byregowda of Congress in a see-saw battle.
Former prime minister and JDS chief HD Deve Gowda was leading in Hassan, his home turf, while his son, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was way ahead by a huge margin of 57,736 votes after counting of 45 per cent of votes was completed.
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister M Veerappa Moily lead by a slender margin of 1453 votes in Chikkaballapur but his party colleague Margaret Alva trailed by 15,184 votes against her BJP rival Anantkumar Hegde in Uttara Kannada.
BY Raghavendra, son of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, has increased his lead to 35,849 votes over Congress veteran S Bangarappa in Shimoga.
In Bidar, former chief minister N Dharam Singh of Congress had established a lead of 5624 votes over BJP's Gurupadappa Nagamarpalli, while his close friend, opposition Congress leader in the state assembly M Mallikarjun Kharge trailed by 6940 votes over his nearest BJP rival, minister for Animal Husbandry Revunaik Belamagi in Gulbarga Reserved seat.
BJP's Karnataka unit president DV Sadananda Gowda, who switched constituency from erstwhile Mangalore to Udupi-Chikmagalur, was leading by 2467 votes.
In Bellary, Congress candidate NY Hanumanthappa was leading by 12,909 votes over his BJP rival J Shantha, sister of minister B Sreeramulu.
In Haveri, Shivakumar Udasi, son of minister for PWD C M Udasi, has established an unassailabe lead of 76,623 votes over his nearest Congress rival Saleem Ahmed.
BJP's Suresh Angadi has established a huge lead of 74,548 votes, after counting 65 per cent of votes in Belgaum.
In Chikkodi, Ramesh Katti, brother of minister for Horticulture, Umesh Katti, was leading by 42,275 votes over Congress's Prakash Hukkeri.
State Congress veteranB Janardhana Poojary was trailing by over 19,000 votes behind BJP's Nalin Kumar Kateel in Dakshina Kannada constituency.
Former police commissioner HT Sangliana, who crossed over to Congress from BJP ahead of elections, is leading by more than 5,000 votes in Bangalore Central.
Union minister KH Muniyappa is trailing behind BJP's DS Veeeraiah by a slender margin of 811 votes in Kolar.
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