The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Bangalore

The Hindu-nationalist Bhar-atiya Janata Party (BJP) won the state election in Karnataka on Sunday, extending a winning streak ahead of a national vote due by early 2009.

The BJP victory surprised many pollsters and analysts and was another blow for the centre-left Congress party, which leads the ruling coalition at the Centre.

The BJP won 110 of 224 seats, the state election commission said-its first outright win in one of India's four southern states. It caps a string of recent state wins.

Congress won only 80 seats, the final results showed, and conceded defeat.

Venkaiah Naidu, a senior BJP leader, said voters had tired of the Congress because of rising inflation, bomb attacks in Indian cities and debt problems faced by Indian farmers.

"I am very happy that we have come to power in the south. This will galvanise the party for the general elections," he told reporters in Bangalore, the state capital.