Congress's ‘BJP-mukt Dakshin Bharat’ dig after thumping Karnataka win. 10 facts | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Congress's ‘BJP-mukt Dakshin Bharat’ barb after thumping Karnataka victory. 10 points

May 13, 2023 09:26 PM IST

After winning Karnataka elections, Mallikarjun Kharge said those who wanted 'Congress-mukt Bharat' ended up facing 'BJP-mukt Dakshin Bharat'.

The Congress wrested control of the crucial Karnataka from the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly election, boosting its prospects ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next year. The Congress ended up winning 135 of Karnataka's 244 seats - a record in terms of both seats and vote share. The BJP could only win 66 seats and HD Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal (Secular) 19 seats.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge being felicitated by party leaders DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala on the party's victory in the Karnataka assembly elections on Saturday. (Mallikarjun Kharge Twitter)
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge being felicitated by party leaders DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala on the party's victory in the Karnataka assembly elections on Saturday. (Mallikarjun Kharge Twitter)

The results are expected to energise the largely divided opposition that is banking on forming a united front to challenge Narendra Modi in next year's general election in which he will seek to extend his prime ministership for a third consecutive term.

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Accompanied by state Congress president DK Shivakumar, veteran leader Siddaramaiah and AICC in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala at a victory ceremony on Saturday evening, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Those who wanted to make 'Congress Mukt Bharat' (Congress-free India) spoke many things against us but today one thing has come true and that is 'BJP Mukt Dakshin Bharat' (BJP free South India)."

Also Read: Karnataka Election Results LIVE

Modi has congratulated the Congress for its win. He also thanked BJP workers for working hard on the party's campaign.

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are widely seen as the leading candidates for the chief minister's post and their strong individual performances will make the high command's job that much harder.

Top updates on the Karnataka election results 2023

1. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, DK Shivakumar, and former Union minister KH Muniyappa are among the key leaders who have been declared victorious in the assembly election.

2. This is only the Congress’s second time ousting the BJP from power in a state election in a decade. Last year, it wrested control of Himachal Pradesh.

3. Shivakumar, who defended his Kanakapura seat from a challenge from the BJP's R Ashoka, broke down while reacting to the election results and gave credit to the Gandhi family for reposing their faith in his leadership in the state.

Also Read: ‘Impact’ of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka? Here's Congress report card

4. Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah won from the Varuna constituency. He was pitted against the BJP's V Somanna.

5. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge, who was pitted against BJP's Manikanta Rathod from the Chittapur constituency, won by a margin of 13,640 votes.

6. In Channapatna, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy defeated the BJP's CP Yogeshwara. Kumaraswamy had set tongues wagging after voting this week about the possibility of supporting either the Congress or the BJP in the case of a hung assembly.

7. Former CM BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra contested and won from his father's stronghold of Shikaripura. He beat an independent candidate - SP Nagarajagowda - by over 11,000 votes.

8. Eight Congress turncoats who joined the BJP and helped it form the government in 2019, lost in the elections. As many as 13 Congress and three JD(S) MLAs had resigned from the Karnataka assembly in 2019 thus bringing down the 14-month-old coalition government of the Congress and the JD(S) led by HD Kumaraswamy.

9. As many as 14 ministers of the outgoing Bommai-led BJP government lost the Karnataka election. They are: Govinda Karjol (Mudhol), J C Madhuswamy (Chikkanayakanahalli), B C Patil (Hirekerur), Shankar Patil Munena Koppa (Navalgund), Halappa Achar (Yelburga) and B Sriramulu (Ballari), K Sudhakar (Chikkaballapur), B C Nagesh (Tiptur), Murugesha Nirani (Bilgi), B C Patil (Hirekerur) and M T B Nagaraj (Hoskote). Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, a BJP leader, also lost the Sirsi seat.

10. Thanking the voters, Surjewala said Karnataka has created history and has shown a new life for democracy not only for the people of the state but for the entire country. “This is a victory of every Kannadiga,” Surjewala said. “Karnataka has given a new mantra to save democracy. It's a pathway to save democracy and constitution across India,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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