BJP takes Karnataka
First win in a southern state
New Delhi, May 25
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today shook off the popular perception of being a north Indian party and is set to form its first government in the southern state of Karnataka. The saffron outfit emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka by securing 110 seats out of the 224-member Vidhan Sabha, giving it an unassailable edge over its political opponents. In video (56k)

Nation page: BJP set to form govt in K’taka
Nation page: Cong puts a brave face, defends Gandhis
Editorial: BJP gets a chance

VICTORY IS OURS: BJP's chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yedyurappa (second from right) accompanied by other leaders greets party supporters as they arrive at the party office in Bangalore on Sunday. — AFP

Bularia wins Amritsar byelection
Amritsar, May 25
In the keenly contested Amritsar (West) byelection, Akali-BJP candidate Inderbir Singh Bularia today won with a comfortable margin of 22,233 votes by defeating his nearest Congress rival Navdeep Singh Goldy.

Bhajan wins Adampur, Cong other 2
Chandigarh, May 25
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda turned the tide on his rivals, both outside and within his party, when the Congress today won two of the three assembly constituencies, where byelections were held on May 22.

Shiv Sena retains Thane LS seat
Mumbai, May 25
Shiv Sena’s Anand Paranjpe won the Thane Lok Sabha seat defeating his nearest rival NCP candidate Sanjeev Naik by 86,565 votes, here today. The byelection was necessitated following the death of Anand’s father, Shiv Sena MP Prakash Paranjpe, last February.

Sangma’s daughter wins LS bypoll
Guwahati, May 25
Twenty eight-year-old Agatha K. Sangma of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won the Tura parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest Congress rival Zenith Sangma by a margin of 99,855 votes. The result of the election, which held on May 22, was declared today.

Gujjars turn down offer for talks
Jaipur, May 25
Gujjar leaders spearheading an agitation to press the demand of ST status for the community today turned down Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's invitation for dialogue sent to Gujjar leader Col Kirodi Singh Bainsla (retd).

Nation page: Gujjars can’t take state to ransom: Raje
Editorial: Deadly protest

In video (56k) TORCHED: A truck burns after it was set ablaze by Gujjars during clashes with the police in Dausa on Sunday. — Reuters photo

Conciliation and Mediation Consent of warring parties not essential: HC Chandigarh, May 25 Now, sitting face to face with your adversaries for resolving family disputes is not a matter of choice. In a significant ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the consent of warring parties is not essential for referring a dispute for conciliation and mediation.