In South India’s Karnataka state, the Congress party finally managed to halt Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party’s electoral juggernaut as the country’s oldest political party claimed 136 of 224 seats in the state assembly, according to the latest trends published by Election Commission of India.
The win is significant for the Congress as it unseats the BJP from power in Karnataka, whose capital Bengaluru is India’s foremost Information Technology hub.
At the same time, the Congress was seeking a much-needed revival ahead of key electoral contests lined up later this year in states across India and the ultimate National elections in 2024 where it will stand against one of India’s most popular leaders of all time in Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi, top Congress leader and a fourth-generation politician of India’s Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, hailed his party’s victory in Karnataka as ‘power of the poor’, which the 52-year-old added, “has defeated the power of capitalist friends of BJP.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a comment which is being perceived as a statement of conceding defeat, congratulated Congress party for their win in the state elections.
“Congratulations to the Congress Party for their victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls. My best wishes to them in fulfilling people’s aspirations,” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, while expressing gratitude to the BJP workers of the state. “We shall serve Karnataka with even more vigour in the times to come.”
Karnataka state elections: Full Picture
The Congress party is either leading at or has won 136 of 224 seats, up from its 2018 tally of 80, according to Election Commission of India.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is either leading at or has won 64 of 224 seats, down from its 2018 tally of 104.
The regional party Janata Dal (Secular), which has seen its rise to national prominence in the past with its leader HD Devegowda briefly serving as India’s prime minister in the 1990s, is either leading at 20 of 224 seats, down from its 2018 tally of 37.
Karnataka elections 2023: What led to Congress party’s win?
On India’s vast electoral landscape, for decades, Karnataka has had the reputation of never re-electing an incumbent. In 2023, the state has well kept up to that reputation.
ALSO WATCH | Karnataka Election 2023 | BJP: Congress’ performance a reflection of local issues | India
Congress party is crediting its leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ (Unite India March) that spent 20 days in the state earlier this year, as the defining reason behind its success. At the same time, the party brought-in dozens of its leaders from all over India during months-long campaign, seeking a door-to-door connect over its accusations of corruption against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government.
The BJP has called for a time of introspection for its electoral loss in Karnataka.
The Congress party is likely to choose DK Shivakumar, its top leader in the state, as Chief Minister. Shivakumar is likely to succeed Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP.
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