To bring you up to speed, and do stay with us through the day as we bring you every bit of news on the Karnataka polls, this was one of the most high-profile and bitterly fought elections in the recent times.


A total of 222 of the 224 seats went for polls involving a three-cornered contest between the ruling Congress, the BJP and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's JD(S).


Why this election is so important for the Congress.
In case of a clear verdict in favour of the Congress, the grand old party will have broken the jinx of no political party retaining the reins of the state since 1985, when the erstwhile Janata Dal formed the government under Ramakrishna Hegde for a second consecutive term.


While a victory would help boost the sagging morale of the Congress, which is on a downhill journey losing state after state since Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre, defeat in Karnataka, the only big state it rules apart from Punjab, may further slowdown the momentum for the party. Losing Karnataka will also drastically weaken its claim for the leadership of a broader anti-BJP alliance that is being talked about.


What this election means for the BJP
In case the BJP gets the mandate, it reflects the enduring charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his capacity to power his party to victory across the country, clearing demographic and topographical obstacles, in combination with party's president Amit Shah's strategy. It would also further galvanise the BJP cadre before the Assembly elections in party-ruled Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh and Chhattisgarh later this year.