As many as 14 ministers of the outgoing Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party government lost the Karnataka assembly elections, the counting for which was taken up on Saturday.
They are: Govinda Karjol (Mudhol), J C Madhuswamy (Chikkanayakanahalli), B C Patil (Hirekerur), Shankar Patil Munena Koppa (Navalgund), Halappa Achar (Yelburga) and B Sriramulu (Ballari), K Sudhakar (Chikkaballapur), B C Nagesh (Tiptur), Murugesha Nirani (Bilgi), B C Patil (Hirekerur) and M T B Nagaraj (Hoskote). Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, a BJP leader, also lost the Sirsi seat.
Minister V Somanna lost from Varuna and Chamarajanagar, the two segments where he contested.
Minister R Ashoka, who too contested from two constituencies, was reelected from Padmanabhanagar but lost in Kanakapura.
The Congress scored a thumping win in the Assembly polls with Election Commission data showing the party winning or leading in 136 seats which gives it a comfortable majority on its own in the 224-member state assembly.
