BENGALURU: After registering an emphatic win in the Assembly election, senior Congress leaders met at the new building of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) where they addressed a press conference with both state Congress president D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah flashing the victory sign.
Addressing party workers and the media, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said Karnataka has shone a new light in the democratic system and said it is a victory of every Kannadiga. “This is a victory of every voter and a victory of the self respect of Kannadigas. The Congress has won wherever the Bharat Jodo Yatra has traversed and the credit for it should go to Rahul Gandhi. The BJP keeps harping on ‘Congress mukt Bharat’, but the people of Karnataka have made BJP mukt in South India”, remarked.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the huge victory of the Congress has filled the country with renewed enthusiasm. “The BJP has become mukt in South India. Arrogance will not take you far. This victory is of the people of Karnataka and not anyone elese. After 35 years, we have got such a stupendous mandate which was possible due to collective leadership”, he said.
State party president D K Shivakumar drew huge applause when he put the Congress shawl that was around his neck on Siddaramaiah. “This is the Bharat Jodo Bhavan and this victory is the result of the attempt to unite the country. This win is of the people of the state which had been eclipsed for three years”, he said.
“This is the victory of the time to wipe the tears of the poor and a win against corruption, against the tears of the housewives. In the coming days, the Gruha Jyothi will shine and, on the first day our government assumes office the Gruha Lakshmi will smile. Our guarantees will bring happiness to all”, he added.
Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah too attributed the win to the seven crore Kannadigas. “The BJP has always come to power through Operation Kamala and has never got absolute majority. When such a government comes to power, it cannot deliver good administration. If there is a coalition government and more people become chief ministers, the government cannot function effectively”, he said.
“In 2008, a stable government was formed and we fulfilled all our promises. When the JD(S) and BJP were in power, there was no development. Hence, the people have opted for a stable government. Citizens were fed up with the BJP government which did no work and they gave us 136 seats”, he added.
Congress leaders K C Venugopal, B K Hariprasad, Salim Ahmed, G Parameshwara and others were also present. Earlier, Congress workers celebrated by bursting firecrackers outside the party office.