Karnataka Congress celebrates Telangana victory, yet to deal with losses

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru / Hyderabad: Karnataka Congress bigwigs had a bittersweet reaction to the party’s victory in Telangana where they hadn’t enjoyed power for a decade while dealing with the sobering realities of losses in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, apart from another setback in Madhya Pradesh.

Congress chief ministers Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and Bhupendra Singh Baghel in Chhattisgarh are going to concede power to the BJP while Shivaraj Singh Chauhan-led BJP bucked anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh.

In Telangana however, K Chandrashekhar Rao and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) lost what was believed to be their firm grip on power, even losing from Kamareddy where BJP's Kaipally Venkata Ramana Reddy bagged a shock victory.

However, Rao managed to hold on to Gajwel. The Telugu state was of particular significance since Karnataka Congress was heavily involved in the campaign there with 10 ministers pitching in including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Siddaramaiah said that he was of the opinion that Congress would win two states. A Congress victory was predicted in Chhattisgarh by multiple exit polls.

“We thought we’d win in two states, Chhattisgarh being one of them. However, things didn’t go according to our calculations but we should accept the decision of the people,” he said.

Shivakumar on the other hand chose to be optimistic, calling the victory in Telangana the “continued dominance of Congress party in south India.”

“Congress party leaders and workers from Karnataka, Maharashtra and other neighbouring states worked tirelessly in Telangana,” he told mediapersons in Hyderabad.

He added that despite the party projected to barely cross the majority 60 mark, there would be no need for MLAs to be herded into resorts. He also refused to ascertain whether Telangana Congress chief A Revanth Reddy would be the next CM of the state.

“Revanth Reddy is the TPCC (Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee) president and the captain of the team. We fought the election on collective leadership. The party will decide on the leadership. I would not like to discuss this issue at this point. We respect the party’s decision,” Shivakumar said.

Money from K’taka helped them win: Kumaraswamy

Not missing a chance to cast aspersions on the only state the Congress managed to win, JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy alleged that money from Karnataka had ensured the Grand Old Party’s victory in Telangana.

“It (Congress victory) is not down to their (Karnataka Congress leaders’) campaign. What really influenced the elections are the sacks of money that they sent there. Congress didn’t get votes in Telangana based on some social service or development. I had said very clearly that there are several reasons for Congress winning there. They didn’t win on their own strength,” he said, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP victories in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda also congratulated Modi.

“My party congratulates the top leadership of @BJP4India, especially Prime Minister @ narendramodi, for their splendid performance in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh,” Gowda posted on micro-blogging site X (previously Twitter).