'Congress Defeat In Haryana Due To Overconfidence': Karnataka Deputy CM's Brother DK Suresh

The Congress party had been expected by many political analysts to perform better in Haryana with some predicting a potential BJP defeat.

Former Congress MP D.K. Suresh, brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, attributed the Congress party's recent defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections to "arrogance and overconfidence". Speaking to the press at his Bengaluru residence on Wednesday, Suresh remarked, "This is proof that overconfidence is not good and serves as a clear example."

The Congress party had been expected by many political analysts to perform better in Haryana, with some predicting a potential BJP defeat. However, the BJP secured a third consecutive term, leaving Congress with a narrow vote margin loss. Despite this, Suresh expressed optimism for the future, particularly for the I.N.D.I.A bloc, which he said was poised to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir.

When asked about the potential impact of Haryana's results on upcoming elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Suresh dismissed any concerns, stating, "The situations in these two states are different. These are elections specific to each state, and the results from one state do not affect the other."

He also responded to comments from former Speaker K.B. Koliwad, who linked the Haryana defeat to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. Suresh refuted this claim, saying, "Koliwad's remarks have no connection with the Haryana loss."

Karnataka Minister Reaffirms Commitment to Caste Census

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge assured that the Haryana outcome would not impact the Congress government's commitment to the caste census in Karnataka. He emphasized that the state's agenda remained firm and independent of electoral results elsewhere. "We have our own mind and policies... Congress' commitment to the caste census is across the country," he said.

The Karnataka Cabinet is expected to discuss the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, also known as the "caste census," on October 18, based on a survey conducted in 2014-15. Despite Congress' Haryana setback, the party's stance on caste-based surveys remains steadfast in Karnataka.