Bangalore, May 25 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was Sunday leading in over 100 seats as counting of votes progressed to pick a new 224-member Karnataka assembly. According to election officials, of the trends available for 210 seats, the Congress was ahead in 68 and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in 38 seats.

Independents and others had forged ahead in four seats.

The BJP lead sparked celebrations at the BJP office here, with supporters bursting crackers and raising slogans.

Any party or formation needs at least 113 seats to form a government.

Among the prominent candidates leading were former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (JD-S) in Ramanagaram, former chief minister B.S. Yedyurappa (BJP) in Shikaripura, Congress state unit president Mallikarjun Kharge in Chittapur, former Congress chief minister N. Dharam Singh in Jewargi and former state minister H.D. Revanna in Holenarsipur segment.