DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, is leading from the Kanakapura assembly constituency against his closest rival R Ashoka of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly election, the results of which were being declared on Saturday.

Shivakumar, an aspirant to be chief minister, is set to defeat Vokkaliga strongman and state revenue minister R Ashoka.

DK Shivakumar, 60, had been elected from the seat in the last three Karnataka assembly elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018. Shivakumar, who began his political career in the early 1980s, has been elected as an MLA multiple times from the Kanakapura constituency. He has also been a minister in the Karnataka government on several occasions. He played a significant role in addressing power-related issues and initiatives in the state.

Ashoka had earlier said his candidacy has resulted in an election contest, in its true sense, taking place for the first time in the region after nearly two decades.

Ashoka said he felt he was a “trigger” for public anger against the rule that existed in the region for long to come out in the open.