Shivakumar thanked the voters of Karnataka for giving a majority to the Congress….reports Asian Lite News
Congress’ Karnataka President D.K. Shivakumar broke down after defeating his BJP rival R. Ashoka by a whopping 76,408 votes in Kanakapura Assembly constituency.
Addressing reporters, Shivakumar said that the “BJP had hatched a conspiracy and gave me options of whether going to the prison or joining BJP. I opted to go to the prison. Sonia Gandhi met me in the Tihar jail, she believed me so much”.
Shivakumar could not control his emotions and started crying while speaking.
“I had given a promise. I have kept my word of achieving victory in the state to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge,” he said.
Shivakumar thanked the voters of Karnataka for giving a majority to the Congress.
“This victory was possible due to the efforts of party workers and leaders. This success has not come from a single person. I congratulate Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and others,” he said.
Kumaraswamy wins but son Nikhil loses
In a shock to former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s family, his grandson and JD-S candidated Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost the Ramnagar seat to Congress candidate H.A. Iqbal Hussain.
Hussain polled 72,898 votes and Kumaraswamy secured 61,692 votes. BJP candidate Gautham Gowda managed to get only 10,870 votes. This is the second defeat for Kumaraswamy. His mother Anita Kumaraswamy represented the seat earlier.
Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had appealed to the voters to support his party candidate as Nikhil Kumaraswamy can get opportunities in future.
Conceding the defeat, his father and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy stated that he will accept the victory and defeat in the same spirit. H.D. Kumaraswamy won against the BJP’s C.P. Yogeshwar in Channapatna.
‘Hanuman belongs to all’
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday expressed happiness over the emphatic victory of his Congress in Karnataka, saying that people have proven the fact Lord Hanuman belongs to all and not only to those who vote for the BJP.
Gehlot, who reached the Mahangai Rahat Camp in Hariyadhana village of Bilada area in Jodhpur, said that the people of Karnataka have given a befitting reply to the BJP.
He also termed the election result a reaction to the treatment of Rahul Gandhi.
“A case was registered against Rahul Gandhi in Surat by making an issue of the statement made by his. Due to this, his MP title was snatched away. It was a conspiracy, which the public has understood. Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak in the House. He was suspended from the House. The people of Karnataka have now given an answer to the BJP for all these deeds,” he said.
On the poll results, he said: “The result has come as I had expected. I had also gone to Karnataka two-three times. People thronged Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. It was clear – looking at it – that what the result will be. The hard work of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and D.K. Shivakumar paid off. All the people supported the Congress.”
On the Bajrang Dal row, he questioned: “Is it that those voting for the BJP are the devotees of Bajrangbali and the one who does not vote for the BJP cannot be a devotee of Bajrang Bali. The people of Karnataka have made it clear that Hanuman belongs to everyone.”
He said that the people of Karnataka have understood the manner in which the BJP is toppling opposition governments. “There was a conspiracy to topple the governments in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. In fact, they could not do it in Rajasthan as we did not let the government fall.
“Now that the results of Karnataka have come, the public has understood their (the BJP’s) gimmicks. The public has come to know that they are toppling the elected government by horse-trading, buying and selling, then how will democracy stay strong? In such cases, democracy will be weakened and the people of the country will never tolerate this,” he added.