Set back to BJP in Karnataka local body election; BJP dismisses Congress claim

The results of Karnataka local body polls ave thrown mixed results for the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party. Both claimed victory saying that they have the majority and confidence of the people.

Bengaluru: The results of 58 Urban Local Bodies (ULB), 57 Grama Panchayats and bypolls of 9 wards (ULB) across Karnataka have thrown mixed results for the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party. Both claimed victory saying that they have the majority and confidence of the people.

CM Bommai suffered a setback as Congress managed to win the Bankapura Municipality, which comes in the Shiggavi constituency of Haveri district which he represents. The Congress has won in 14 wards, BJP in 7 and 2 Independent candidates have also won. Similarly, Guttala City Municipal Corporation of Haveri taluk has also gone the Congress way.

The elections to ULBs, which were delayed by three years, were held on December 27. After counting of votes started, trends indicated a close fight between the BJP and Congress.

'You can't win elections with money power'

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah claimed that this result shows that people are dejected with the BJP government. The results have shown that they can't win elections with money power, he said.

"To elections held for 1,187 seats of local bodies across the state, the Congress has won more than 500 seats and BJP has managed to win 434 seats and JD(S) won 45 seats. More than 100 local bodies have thrown up a fractured mandate. There is a wave for Congress in the state," Siddaramaiah added.

Congress President D.K. Shivakumar went on to say that the results of local body elections reflected the mood of the people of Karnataka. "This is the victory of Congress and the people of the state. Not only have the rural people but people in urban areas also shown their support to the party," he said.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's claims, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Congress has managed to win a few city corporation seats where minorities are more in number. "Let them not rejoice with that. We have won more gram panchayat seats. The results are also favourable in city corporations. BJP is going to come back to power in 2023, let Siddaramaiah and Congress not worry about that."

Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development K.S. Eshwarappa ridiculed the claims of Siddaramaiah and stated that "he is rejoicing like a couple who get children 25 years after their marriage. We will take up development works wherever BJP has won and strived towards bringing BJP to power in future elections," he maintained.

In the Vijayapura district among the 6 City Municipal corporations, three have been won by Congress. Vijayapura district is considered the bastion of the BJP. In the Belagavi district also, the BJP has failed to sweep elections and Congress has gained upper hand.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Randeep S. Surjewala blasted BJP in a statement issued, saying "Every second that the spurious & corrupt Bommai Govt continues, it is an anathema to development and progress."

He also expressed the party's deep gratitude to "Kannadiga brothers and sisters for reposing their faith in the Congress Party".

He claimed that vote share also indicates a huge slide in the popularity of BJP in the state. The vote share of Congress came up to 42.06%, where as for BJP and JD (s) it stood at 36.9% and 3.8% respectively.

Successive election results off late have clearly established that the voters care most about price rise, falling incomes, jobs, rampant corruption and BJP government’s apathy towards public welfare, he pointed out.

"Manufactured issues like anti-conversion laws and management of temples are not what people are going to be taken in with. Progressive Kannadigas realise that such issues are meant to serve no one but divisive forces,' Surjewala said.