<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday called the DMK’s defeat in Tamil Nadu a “significant setback” to Dravidian politics and termed the surge in support for actor Vijay “concerning”.</p><p>Siddaramaiah has, in the past, identified himself as a Dravidian. In a statement, he hoped that outgoing Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin would recover from this setback. </p><p>"The scale of the result in Tamil Nadu was unexpected. Despite anti-incumbency, the DMK government’s welfare-oriented programmes had earned public appreciation," Siddaramaiah said. </p>.Assembly Elections 2026 | Congress performed better in Kerala, anti-incumbency trends influenced WB, TN: CM Siddaramaiah.<p>"Tamil voters, who have historically rejected the BJP’s communal politics, have always voted with awareness. It is concerning that sections of youth and women appear to have been swayed by the appeal of actor Vijay," Siddaramaiah said. </p><p>According to Siddaramaiah, the BJP's victory in West Bengal raises "serious concerns" about the health of India's democratic system. "Its reliance on religious polarisation continues to undermine democratic values. I believe the people of West Bengal will reassess this mandate and respond accordingly in the next Lok Sabha elections," he said. </p><p>"In West Bengal, there was a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Mamata Banerjee. Irregularities in voter list revisions, along with the misuse of administrative machinery, money, and muscle power, significantly influenced the outcome. The names of lakhs of her supporters were omitted from the rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)," Siddaramaiah argued. </p><p>Siddaramaiah hailed the election result in Kerala. "I congratulate the voters of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for delivering a clear verdict - that the BJP’s "divisive politics" has no place in their states, "just as in Karnataka and Telangana," he said, adding that Congress' victory in Kerala was anticipated and that top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi "played a key role, working tirelessly". </p><p>On Congress winning the Bagalkot and Davangere South bypolls, Siddaramaiah said it was due to the achievements of his government and the party's ideology. "Despite misinformation campaigns and the influence of money power, voters in both constituencies reaffirmed their trust in the Congress and our governance," he said. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday called the DMK’s defeat in Tamil Nadu a “significant setback” to Dravidian politics and termed the surge in support for actor Vijay “concerning”.</p><p>Siddaramaiah has, in the past, identified himself as a Dravidian. In a statement, he hoped that outgoing Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin would recover from this setback. </p><p>"The scale of the result in Tamil Nadu was unexpected. Despite anti-incumbency, the DMK government’s welfare-oriented programmes had earned public appreciation," Siddaramaiah said. </p>.Assembly Elections 2026 | Congress performed better in Kerala, anti-incumbency trends influenced WB, TN: CM Siddaramaiah.<p>"Tamil voters, who have historically rejected the BJP’s communal politics, have always voted with awareness. It is concerning that sections of youth and women appear to have been swayed by the appeal of actor Vijay," Siddaramaiah said. </p><p>According to Siddaramaiah, the BJP's victory in West Bengal raises "serious concerns" about the health of India's democratic system. "Its reliance on religious polarisation continues to undermine democratic values. I believe the people of West Bengal will reassess this mandate and respond accordingly in the next Lok Sabha elections," he said. </p><p>"In West Bengal, there was a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Mamata Banerjee. Irregularities in voter list revisions, along with the misuse of administrative machinery, money, and muscle power, significantly influenced the outcome. The names of lakhs of her supporters were omitted from the rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)," Siddaramaiah argued. </p><p>Siddaramaiah hailed the election result in Kerala. "I congratulate the voters of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for delivering a clear verdict - that the BJP’s "divisive politics" has no place in their states, "just as in Karnataka and Telangana," he said, adding that Congress' victory in Kerala was anticipated and that top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi "played a key role, working tirelessly". </p><p>On Congress winning the Bagalkot and Davangere South bypolls, Siddaramaiah said it was due to the achievements of his government and the party's ideology. "Despite misinformation campaigns and the influence of money power, voters in both constituencies reaffirmed their trust in the Congress and our governance," he said. </p>
