Bengaluru - The Congress party's victory in the Karnataka by-elections has been hailed as a major boost to the party's morale ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.

As the votes were counted on Saturday for the Karnataka election, seen as a test for major political parties ahead of the 2024 parliamentary polls, the Congress party was leading with leads in 136 seats, while the BJP was ahead in 64, according to trends provided by the Election Commission of India.

The party won seats that were contested, including the prestigious Maski constituency, which was held by the BJP in the previous election. The Congress party's victory is seen as a major setback for the BJP, which had won 12 out of the 15 seats in the 2018 assembly elections.

With the Karnataka assembly elections due in 2023, the Congress party's victory has come as a shot in the arm for the party, which has been struggling to regain power in the state since its loss in 2018. The party has been trying to regain its lost ground in Karnataka, which was once considered its stronghold, and the by-election results are expected to give it a much-needed boost ahead of the assembly elections.

The by-election results are also significant in the context of the ongoing parliamentary session. With the BJP-led government facing a strong opposition in parliament on issues like the farmers' protests, fuel prices, and COVID-19 management, the Congress party's victory in Karnataka is likely to embolden the opposition parties to take a more aggressive stance against the government.

Moreover, the Congress party's victory in Karnataka is likely to give a boost to the opposition parties' efforts to unite against the BJP in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP had won 25 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the 2019 general elections, and the opposition parties are hoping to make inroads into the state in the upcoming elections.

Overall, the Congress party's victory in the Karnataka by-elections is a significant development in the state's political landscape and is likely to have far-reaching implications for the state assembly elections, as well as the national political scenario.

JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said he accepts defeat and victory with equanimity and the loss in the Karnataka Assembly polls was not final for him and his party. The former chief minister, whose party has won 19 seats in the Assembly polls, wished good luck to the new government that will be coming into existence and expressed hope that they respond to the requirements of the people.