Bengaluru, May 13: As many as 14 ministers of the outgoing Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP 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.
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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.
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Chikkamagaluru: A wild elephant attacked a farmer sleeping in a coffee plantation near Hukkunda village in the Allur area of Chikkamagaluru district on Sunday morning.
Narayan Gowda, the farmer, was guarding coffee beans spread out for drying when the elephant lifted him with its trunk and tossed him aside. Fortunately, he landed on a pile of hay nearby, avoiding severe injuries. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to a hospital.
The locals immediately informed the Forest Department officials, who rushed to the spot and took necessary action.
With increasing incidents of wild elephant menace in the region, villagers have urged the authorities to relocate the elephants to a different area.