The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday crushed Congress hopes of halting its march in south India by winning near majority in the Karnataka assembly and will stake claim on Monday to form its first government in south India.

After the final results, BJP won 110 seats, three short of the magic figure of 113 required for the simple majority, and is in touch with independents and others, who have won six seats in the state assembly.

The newly elected legislators are meeting in Bangalore on Monday noon to formally elect 66-year-old B S Yeddyurappa as their leader. BJP had projected Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial candidate during the campaign for the polls held on May 10, 16 and 22.

Yeddyurappa was chief minister for a week in November last year at the head of a shaky coalition with Janata Dal (Secular), headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

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