Karnataka polls: Kejriwal congratulates Cong, says BJP should realise its tactics don't work anymore

The Congress returned to power on its own in Karnataka after 10 years, knocking the BJP off its only southern perch on Saturday as voters decisively backed the grand old party desperately seeking electoral revival ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

New Delhi: AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday congratulated the Congress for its victory in the Karnataka assembly elections, and said the BJP should now realise that its tactics do not work anymore.

He, however, sought to downplay AAP's dismal performance in the elections, saying a time will come when it will win in Karnataka as well. According to the Election Commission website, AAP appeared to have drawn a blank, securing just 0.58 per cent of votes. Kejriwal hailed his party candidate Sushil Rinku's victory in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll in Punjab, terming it "historic and unprecedented".

"Congratulations to them," the chief minister told reporters at the party headquarters here when asked to comment on the Congress' victory in the Karnataka elections. The Congress returned to power on its own in Karnataka after 10 years, knocking the BJP off its only southern perch on Saturday as voters decisively backed the grand old party desperately seeking electoral revival ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress was winning or leading in 136 of the 224 assembly seats in the state, comfortably over the magic number of 113, and the BJP in 64, a sharp drop from its tally of 104 in 2018, according to latest trends on the Election Commission website. On the BJP's defeat despite the party running "a polarised campaign" in the state ahead of the elections, Kejriwal said, "That's why they will have to realise that all such tactics do not work."

"Kaam to woh karte nahin. Bina kaam kiye, ulti seedhi baat pe ladte hain. Woh chalta nahin hai (They do not work when in power and contest elections on rubbish issues. Such things do not work)," he added. Asked to comments on AAP's performance, Kejriwal said, "It's just a beginning. A time will come when we will win there (in Karnataka) also and everywhere else."

The AAP had fielded candidates in 209 assembly constituencies in the Karnataka assembly elections. In its maiden foray in 2018, the party had fielded 28 candidates and ended up losing all the seats. (PTI)