Chhattisgarh Contributed To Congress's Himachal Victory, Focus Now On Karnataka: Bhupesh Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was greeted at the airport by party supporters. He said that the state has contributed to the Himachal's victory and now the aim is on Karnataka.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel

Source : ANI

Chhattisgarh chief minister and Bhupesh Baghel the election observer of Congress for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls Bhupesh Baghel arrived back in his home state on Sunday. Upon arriving at Raipur Airport and being greeted warmly, he said that following this triumph, the focus will shift to the upcoming elections in Karnataka next year where Congress would be forming government this time.

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly election, slated for May 2023, will elect all 224 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.

"Chhattisgarh has also contributed in the victory of Himachal Pradesh. Chhattisgarh's schemes were included in 10 guarantees of Himachal." Baghel was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Chhattisgarh has also contributed in the victory of Himachal Pradesh. Chhattisgarh's schemes were included in 10 guarantees of Himachal. Now we have government in 3 states and next is Karnataka where we will form govt: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel pic.twitter.com/3GhyFHPAGU

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) December 11, 2022

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy stated on Sunday that there is a strong undercurrent in his party's favour, particularly in rural areas. He also expressed confidence that the JD(S) would win more seats than the Congress and BJP in Bengaluru during the assembly elections, as per a report by news agency PTI. 

Earlier today Congress leader and four-time MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh after the party announced his name for the top post on Saturday. Sukhu enjoyed the support of the maximum number of MLAs which paved way for his maiden tenure as the CM of the hill state. 

The Congress won 40 seats, compared to the BJP's 25. Three seats were won by independents. For nearly four decades, the BJP and the Congress have alternated in power, with neither party achieving consecutive victories. Himachal Pradesh has not returned an incumbent government to power in nearly four decades.

After suffering a string of electoral defeats over the past two years, the Congress badly needed a victory in Himachal to ensure its survival.

It would be inaccurate to attribute the success of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh to the state's "Rivaj," or tradition of ousting the incumbent, in that state. The Congress would now be in power in Kerala and Uttarakhand if "Rivaj" could ensure victory. It is to be noted that the BJP received around 69 percent of the votes cast in the state of Himachal Pradesh during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Therefore, its failure was not inevitable.

The Congress had expressed confidence in the party winning the assembly elections from the beginning of the campaign, stating that the voters would follow tradition and make their decisions based on the important issues of rising prices, unemployment, and other difficulties they were currently facing. The Old Pension Scheme's return was one of the party's major campaign pledges.

The Congress, which only possesses the reins of power in the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, anticipates a rebirth of the party beginning in Himachal Pradesh.

(With Inputs From Agencies)