Bengaluru, 28 October

Veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the NDA’s victory in the Karnataka MLC elections was a glaring example of informed voters debunking the “false” ‘Vote Chori’ propaganda of the Congress. 

Meanwhile, the BJP’s social media handles posted pictures of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar with the caption “DK, it’s done bro”, finally clapping back at Congress and CJP’s slogan “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro”.

Yediyurappa demanded that Shivakumar step down in the wake of the poll results, where BJP won three seats while its ally the JD(S) won the other. All the polls were held using ballot papers. 

“The voter turnout was higher this time, which is clear evidence of an anti-incumbency wave,” he said, noting that no EVMs were used in the polls. 

He noted that KM Suresh won the South-East Graduates' constituency by a margin of over 23,000 votes. SM Sankanoor won the West Graduates' constituency by about 9,000 votes. Namushi won the North-East Teachers' constituency by over 3,000 votes, and JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath won the Bengaluru Teachers' constituency by 908 votes.

“For the last three-and-a-half years, the Congress-led government has made 6 crore people of the State suffer so much that they have been left wiping away their tears,” the former CM added. 

“The BJP and JD(S) will move forward together as one,” Yediyurappa said, adding that he would soon meet former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to formulate a plan. 

‘PACK UP AND LEAVE’ 

Yediyurappa’s son and BJP State President BY Vijayendra said that the results have sent a clear message to the Congress: “pack up and leave”.  

"BJP is ready for election in the state," he told reporters in Mysuru.  

SETBACK FOR KHARGES 

Meanwhile, in Kalaburagi, N Ravikumar, Chief Whip of the Karnataka Legislative Council, said that “well-educated” voters had rejected the Congress, and alleged that the poll results showed how the gains the party made during the Lok Sabha elections, especially in Kalyana Karnataka, were now being lost. 

He targeted the AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, Home Minister Priyank Kharge, for thinking that criticising the Centre and mocking PM Narendra Modi were achievements. Priyank in particular has neglected his developmental responsibilities, Ravikumar added.  

The North East Teachers’ Constituency is in the Kharges’ home turf.