Bengaluru, June 4 (Reporter) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has taken a commanding lead in Karnataka, ahead in 20 seats as of 9:10 am, with the Congress trailing in eight, as the counting continues for the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Notable leaders making significant headway include JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is leading in Mandya, and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi of the BJP, leading in Dharwad. Additionally, Tejasvi Surya and Jagadish Shettar of the BJP are ahead in Bangalore South and Belagavi, respectively. The vote counting began at 8 am at 29 centers across the state. Karnataka is a pivotal battleground for the BJP in South India, being the only state in the region where the party has previously held power. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP achieved a sweeping victory, securing 25 out of 28 seats, with an independent candidate allied with the BJP winning another seat. The Congress managed to win only one seat during that election. The JD(S), led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, also won one seat in the 2019 elections. At that time, the Congress and JD(S) were in a coalition government and contested the elections together. However, in a significant political shift, JD(S) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September last year. This time around, JD(S) is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the BJP, fielding candidates in Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar constituencies. As the counting progresses, all eyes are on Karnataka, where the early leads suggest a strong performance by the NDA, potentially reshaping the political landscape of the state...////...