Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai hailed Monday’s urban local body election results as the people’s “endorsement” of his government and that this set the tone for other polls that are lined up.
“These elections took place a month after [my] government came to power. So, this is an endorsement and support that people have given to our [BJP] government,” Bommai said. “This is a sign of things to come in the future.”
The saffron party swept the Belagavi city corporation election, finished first in Hubballi-Dharwad and came second in Kalaburagi.
“People have accepted a national party and the BJP will always be with Belagavi,” Bommai said. “Hubballi-Dharwad is our fortress that we have managed to keep. In Kalaburagi, we have improved our tally,” he said, thanking party leaders, workers and voters.
‘Not as expected’
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said the results were not what Congress expected. “It’s a plus-point that we won 33 seats in Hubballi-Dharwad where we were up against the CM, a former chief minister (Jagadish Shettar), a union minister (Pralhad Joshi),” he said.
The former CM further attacked the BJP for “misusing” the administrative machinery. “They used infinite monetary resources for the elections, which our party lacks. The Kalaburagi police commissioner, for example, acted like a BJP worker,” he said.
Contradicting Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar said the results were satisfactory. “We might have lost in Belagavi, but it's a good start for the party. In Hubballi-Dharwad, too, we weren't in power for 15 years and now our numbers have increased,” he said.
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