'I can't forget...': DK Shivakumar breaks down, thanks cadre and Sonia Gandhi

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar broke down while talking to reporters as his party is nearing a historic win in the Karnataka assembly polls. According to the Election Commission's latest trends, the Congress party is ahead in 129 constituencies followed by the BJP (66) and the Janata Dal-Secular (22). He is also ahead in the Kanakapura constituency with more than 70,600 votes against the BJP's R Ashoka (10,930 votes), according to the Election Commission's latest trends. 

#WATCH | Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar gets emotional on his party's comfortable victory in state Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/ANaqVMXgFr

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"I thank the people of Karnataka for the mandate. They had faith in us. It is a clear mandate for us. I will not say anything now. Let our workers unite. I have sent my agent to collect my winning certificate," Shivakumar said.

He further recalled his promise to the Congress leadership to 'deliver Karnataka' and got overwhelmed with tears recalling his time in jail. "I can't forget Smt Sonia Gandhi coming to meet me when all these BJP people put me in jail. I thank all my leaders in the state," he said. 

CM Basavaraj Bommai concedes defeat

"We've not been able to make the mark, despite a lot of effort put in by everyone, including the PM and the workers. Once the results come we will do a detailed analysis," Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said while speaking to reporters. "As a national party, we will not only analyse but also see what deficiencies and gaps were left at various levels. We take this result in our stride. We will re-organise the party and come back in the Lok Sabha elections."

Bommai himself contested the assembly elections from the Shiggaon constituency and is leading with 86,823 votes trailing Congress candidate Pathan Yasir Ahmed Khan (57,413 votes).