‘I Don’t Want To...’: Kharge On ‘Modi Magic’ In Karnataka After Congress Win In BJP’s Sole South Bastion

Karnataka Election Result 2023: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party won the election under collective leadership and got results. Here's what he said about "Modi magic" in the state.

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said that the party won the Karnataka election under collective leadership and got results. Earlier in the day, he said that the party's impressive performance in the Karnataka election is the victory of "Janata Janardhan". He confirmed that all newly-elected MLAs have been asked to come to Bengaluru in the evening and once 'High Command' sends observers, other processes will follow. The remarks come as the Congress is set to form a majority government in the southern state which was the lone bastion of the BJP in South India before this election.

Addressing a press conference, Kharge was asked about the "Modi magic" in Karnataka and he responded by saying, "We have won, and now we have to work. I don't want to criticise anybody".

Earlier, Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge said, "All our leaders have worked unitedly and people have voted for our guarantees". "This is the victory of Janata Janardhan," he remarked, as quoted by news agency PTI.

People have voted against bad administration, the Congress chief said.

He also informed that all newly-elected MLAs asked to come to Bengaluru this evening, "Once 'High Command' sends observers, other processes will follow", PTI reported.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar got emotional as he thanked the party cadres for the important victory.

Partywise trends and results as of 2 PM show that Congress is leading in 128 seats having won 2, BJP is leading in 66 seats, and JD(S) is leading in 22 seats. The Congress has so far secured 42.93% vote share, BJP has 36%, and JD(S) 13.21% share.

Karnataka registered a "record" turnout of 73.19 per cent in the voting on May 10, to elect representatives to the 224-member Assembly.

With most exit polls predicting a tight contest between the Congress and BJP, leaders of the two parties seem "jittery" over the outcome, while the JD(S) appears to be expecting a hung verdict, which would enable it to play a role in government formation. Most pollsters have given an edge to the Congress over the ruling BJP, while also indicating the possibility of a hung Assembly in the state.

Having banked on the Modi juggernaut, the ruling BJP is looking to break a 38-year-old poll jinx where the people have never voted the incumbent party to power, while the Congress is hoping for a morale booster victory to give it a much-needed elbow room and momentum to position itself as the main opposition player in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

It also remains to be seen whether former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) will emerge as a "kingmaker" or a "king" by holding the key to government formation, in the event of a hung verdict, as it has done in the past.

Like it has been the trend for about the last two decades, Karnataka witnessed a three-cornered contest, with a direct fight between the said parties in most of the constituencies.