Watch: Snake causes chaos at BJP office amid Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 vote counting

During the counting of assembly election votes in Shiggaon Constituency, where Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is running for re-election for the fourth consecutive time, a snake entered the BJP camp office premises causing chaos among the people present. However, the snake was later rescued, and the building premises were secured in the presence of the CM.

May 13, 2023

Shiggaon is one of the closely watched seats, as Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai are in an extremely close contest. Despite reports indicating that CM Basavaraj Bommai has a strong electoral advantage, the verdict in the battle for the Karnataka Assembly now rests with the people's court, after a high-decibel campaign by all three key players in the fray - the incumbent BJP, the Congress, and the Janata Dal (Secular) - who pulled out stops and heavyweight campaigners to woo voters. The results are expected to be out in a few hours.

This Assembly election holds great significance as it is being held almost a year before the 2024 general elections. Since 1985, Karnataka has never brought the incumbent back to power, and the BJP hopes to do so as it bids to return to power in the southern state. The Legislative Assembly elections were held in Karnataka on May 10, 2023, to elect all 224 members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Read more: Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 counting day live updates: Who's winning, who's losing? Check here