JOIN USThe BJP’s euphoric celebrations reached a sense of anticlimax by Tuesday afternoon as the party failed to get a simple majority to form the government and the Congress-JD(S) combine quickly stitched up an alliance.
At counting centres, the celebrations by BJP supporters reached their peak by 1 pm. All roads leading to the BJP’s state office in Malleswaram turned saffron.
The police had to block many roads to divert traffic. People burst crackers, played with colours as if it was Holi and danced to drum beats. The locality resonated with the chants of ‘Modi’, ‘Modi’.
Large LED screens put up outside the BJP office, at the Freedom Park and other places live-streamed the counting of votes. Even the residents of Malleswaram joined the BJP workers in the celebrations.
The BJP’s victorious candidates, too, arrived at the party office and took part in the revelry. They later drove to B S Yeddyurappa’s house in Dollars Colony to congratulate him.
But as the clock ticked, the BJP’s tally nosedived. Workers who arrived with bouquets, party flags and masks of Amit Shah and Modi began to discard them and disperse.
In a dramatic shift of events, South Bengaluru’s Padmanabhanagar, the residence of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, became the centre of attraction. As the news of a possible coalition government emerged, JD(S) party workers flocked to Gowda’s house. The workers, who were quiet until noon, suddenly began to rejoice and raise slogans.
By 3 pm, the scenario changed at the counting centres, too.
The BJP flags and saffron caps gave way to Congress and JD(S) flags. BJP workers, who had dominated the celebrations on the road until then, drifted to the roadside and footpaths only to witness the revelry by JD(S) and Congress functionaries.