Congress secures a clear majority in Karnataka assembly elections, defeating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a power-packed anti-incumbency wave.
According to the results, Congress has won 114 seats out of 224, with an increase in 22 seats from the last assembly elections.
If it also manages to win the contested seats, its tally could reach 136, making it the party’s biggest victory in Karnataka since the 1989 assembly elections.
BJP has won 52 seats, with its candidates leading in 12 more, bringing their total to 64. The Janata Dal (Secular) is leading in 20 seats.
Congress has returned to power on its own after 10 years and ousted BJP, which ruled the only southern state under its control.
The voters’ support for the country’s oldest party in the pre-poll attempts for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 has also been significant. Last year, the BJP lost in Himachal Pradesh.
The state elections were held on May 10, and most of the exit polls predicted a hung assembly. After the results were announced, Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa accepted defeat.
He said that despite the efforts of the party workers and the Prime Minister, BJP could not make its mark in this election.
The recently concluded elections in the southern Indian state of Karnataka were seen as a “trial by fire” for both parties before the 2024 national elections.
With Congress gaining a clear majority in these crucial polls, celebrations have broken out at the party headquarters in Bangalore and Delhi.
The hope is that with these results, the 38-year-old myth of no return to power for the ruling party in Karnataka will be shattered, while the BJP’s loss in the only southern Indian state where they were in power will be a cause for concern.
In the 1989 assembly elections, Congress had won on 178 seats. Following these results, Lingayat leader Veerendra Patil became the state’s chief minister.
However, in the next elections, Congress was reduced to only 34 seats. After that, in the 1999 and 2013 elections, Congress won 132 and 122 seats respectively.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has declared the party’s good performance in the Karnataka assembly elections a victory of the people, saying that they have voted in favor of the party’s five guarantees over the BJP’s poor administration.
He has instructed all newly elected Congress MLAs to reach Bangalore by this evening, so that the process of forming the government can move forward.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Kharge said, “We have sent a message to all (newly elected MLAs) to reach here as soon as possible, so that the process of government formation can be expedited.
During the election campaign, political parties raised issues related to Bajrang Dal, ‘Bajrang Bali’, corruption, and ending the four percent reservation for other backward classes (OBCs) Muslims by the state government, as well as issues such as hijab.
After the clear defeat of the BJP in the election trends, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has failed to leave its mark in these elections.
Bommai said, “Despite the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party workers, we have not been able to leave our mark.”
He said, “After the results come out, we will do a detailed analysis. We will take these results seriously and try to reorganize the party for the Lok Sabha elections to be held next year.”
Former Chief Minister of the state and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah said that the result of the Karnataka election will be an important step towards Congress winning the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He expressed hope that Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister of the country in 2024.
D.K. Shivakumar, president of the Karnataka unit of the Congress, became emotional on Saturday after the party’s victory in the assembly elections and thanked the Gandhi family for instilling confidence in him to lead the state. Shivakumar was talking about the Congress’ performance when he became tearful.
Months before the election, the Congress had accused the government led by Basavaraj Bommai of being a “40 percent commission” government.
BJP senior leader B.S. Yediyurappa said that party workers do not need to be afraid of the election results. He said, “We will introspect about the party’s defeat and work as a responsible opposition in the coming days.”
In anticipation of a likely victory in the election, party spokesperson Shama Mohammed mentioned Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ (Unite India Journey) from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, saying, “The Bharat Jodo Yatra has created a lot of difference.” The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ covered a distance of about 3,000 kilometers.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said to PTI, “The Bharat Jodo Yatra was a lifesaver for the party. It gave the organization energy and created a sense of unity among leaders and workers.”
