Out 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by the Congress and three by the JD(S). (Photo: PTI)

The Karnataka by-election poll of polls result has predicted a smooth victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the party's victory in at least eight seats. Congress, on the other hand, is predicted to bag less than five seats in the Karnataka by-elections.

India Today has accessed the exit poll data of three leading channels in Karnataka - Power TV, Public TV and BTV.

Power TV has predicted a minimum of eight and maximum of 12 seats for the BJP and three to six seats for the Congress. The JDS, according to the Power TV, is expected to bag 0-2 seats in the Karnataka by-elections.

Public TV, on the other hand, has predicted 8-10 seats for the BJP, 3-5 for the Congress and 1-2 for the JDS. The BTV has predicted nine seats for the saffron party, three for the Congress and only two for the JDS.

Digvijaya News 24*7 says the BJP is likely to win 9-11 seats. It has predicted 2-4 seats for the Congress and 0-2 for the JDS.

In Hosakote assembly constituency, both Public TV and the Power TV have predicted a "tight fight" between the BJP and the Congress. BTV, however, has given a nod to an Independent candidate.

In Shivajinagar assembly by-elections, Power TV has predicted a victory for the Congress, BTV says the BJP would bag the seat BJP and the Public TV says "tight fight". In Kagwad, Power TV and BTV have predicted BJP and Congress, respectively.

Speaking with India Today TV, JDS leader TS Prasad Gowda exuded the confidence of winning at least four of 15 seats. "I will not say they [the exit poll results] are wrong but we have had our feedback from the constituencies and our candidates are confident of winning."

"We will win four out of 15 seats. We will win in Yashwantpur assembly constituency," he said. It should be noted that while the BTV has predicted a win for the JDS, the Power TV has given an edge to the BJP.

The polling in Karnataka assembly by-elections concluded at 6 pm, the results of which will be declared on December 9.

The by-elections are being held to fill the vacancies caused by the disqualification of 17 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs, whose rebellion led to the collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July and paved the way for the BJP to come to power.

The BJP needs to win at least six of the 15 seats to remain in the majority in the 225-member assembly (including the Speaker, who has a casting vote), which would still have two vacant seats -- Maski and R R Nagar.

In the assembly with the current strength of 208 after the disqualifications, the BJP has 105 MLAs (including an independent), the Congress 66 and the JD(S) has 34 MLAs.