Congress' Victory in Karnataka Shows 'Modi is not Invincible': Opposition Leaders

New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Saturday lauded the Congress for its victory in Karnataka and thanked the people of the state, saying that this win has showed that "Modi is not invincible". 

"Pro-poor promises and secular stance helped Congress to score the historic Karnataka victory. It urges them to learn necessary lessons and to be more responsible in national politics. Modi is never invincible. If all secular forces are united, 2024 will see the end of BJP Raj," said Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam. 

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, "Thank you Karnataka. For choosing LPG over Bajrangbaliji." 

CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya also thanked the people of the state for the mandate. 

"Thank you #Karnataka for giving such a fitting rebuff to not just the corrupt and non-performing Bommai regime but to the hate-filled and arrogant Modi-Shah-Yogi campaign. It has set the stage for the forthcoming elections and encouraged every defender of democracy across India," he said in a tweet.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the ruling CPI(M) and opposition parties in Kerala welcomed the Congress' performance in Karnataka polls and said it was an indication of public sentiment against BJP's divisive and communal politics. The CPI(M), IUML and Congress also said the vote trend in Karnataka also shows the BJP's waning influence in south India.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the trends indicate a huge and historic win for the party and the results would also work as an impetus for it in the 2024 general assembly elections. He said the trends indicate the public verdict, their sentiments towards a corrupt BJP government there. It also showed the public acceptance of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

IUML Kerala state president Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal and the party's national general secretary and MLA P K Kunhalikutty too spoke along similar lines. Both Chennithala and the IUML leaders said that with what happened in Karnataka, BJP is no longer in power in south India.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan too welcomed the vote counting trends in Karnataka and said southern India has been freed from BJP. However, he said it did not indicate a comeback of Congress as one of its major power centres was Gujarat where the BJP has a huge majority. "So, it cannot be said it is a comeback for them. Congress on its own cannot free India of BJP. Even they do not lay claim to that," he said.

BJP wiped out from Dravidian landscape, says Stalin

The BJP has been ousted from power in the Dravidian landscape with the Congress party's victory in Karnataka and like-minded parties should join forces to win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said in Chennai.

Stalin greeted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, top leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar on the party's emphatic win in Karnataka. The Tamil Nadu CM spoke to them over phone.

In a social media post, Stalin said: "The land mass of Dravidian family stands clear of BJP. Now let us all work together to win 2024 (LS polls) to restore democracy and constitutional values in India."

Congratulating the Congress party for the spectacular win, he said: "The unjustifiable disqualification of brother Rahul Gandhi as MP, misusing premier investigative agencies against political opponents, imposing Hindi, rampant corruption have all echoed in the minds of Karnataka people while voting and they have upheld the Kannadiga pride by teaching a befitting lesson to BJP's vindictive politics."

MDMK general secretary Vaiko said Karnataka people have taught a befitting lesson to the BJP for its communal politics. "Karnataka was changed into a Hindutva laboratory, the reservation for Muslims was rescinded," Vaiko, also a Rajya Sabha MP said in a statement.

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan congratulated Rahul Gandhi for the victory. He tweeted: "Just as Gandhiji, you walked your way into peoples hearts and as he did you demonstrated that in your gentle way you can shake the powers of the world -with love and humility. Your credible and creditable approach, without bravado or chest thumping has ushered a breath of fresh air for the people."

"You trusted the people of Karnataka to reject divisiveness, who in turn have unitedly reciprocated by placing their faith in you. Kudos for not just the victory but also for the manner of victory!"

In Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the moral of the Karnataka Assembly poll results story is people “want plurality” and that “no central design to dominate” can repress them.

Congratulating people in Karnataka for their mandate in favour of change, the fiery TMC supremo also said “brute authoritarian and majoritarian” politics has been vanquished.

"My salutations to the people of Karnataka for their decisive mandate in favour of change!! Brute authoritarian and majoritarian politics is vanquished!!

In Mumbai, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut termed BJP’s loss in Karnataka elections as the defeat of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

“Bajrang Bali's mace has fallen on the BJP,” Raut told reporters.

The Congress, in its election manifesto for Karnataka, made a promise to clamp down on extremist organisations and referred to banned Islamist outfit PFI and the Bajrang Dal, the VHP’s youth wing, in the same vein.

At an election rally in Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi had hit out at the Congress for promising to ban the Bajrang Dal and lock up those who chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali' (Hail Lord Hanuman).

The results of Karnataka elections are a pointer to the results of Lok Sabha polls next year, Raut said.

In Srinagar, describing the Karnataka Assembly poll results as a "ray of hope", PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said and hoped that the rest of the country will also reject "communal politics" and vote for its development and prosperity.

"The BJP tried its best to communalise the situation as is their habit. They even brought Bajrangbali, religion, Hindu-Muslim to the discourse. The prime minister tried to take the discourse on religious lines. Despite that, people kept these issues on the sidelines and chose the issue of development on which the Congress ran its campaign," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister told reporters here.

She said while the democratic values of the country and the idea of brotherhood were being attacked, "a ray of hope is being seen from Karnataka today".

"I hope people across the country will also reject communal politics and vote for the country's development and prosperity," Mufti said.

She said the people of Karnataka have sent a good message that they do not want to get into the Hindu-Muslim debate and vote in the name of gods, but over issues of unemployment, price rise and other developmental concerns.

In Delhi, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the Congress for its victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections, and said the BJP should now realise that its tactics do not work anymore.

On the BJP's defeat despite the party running "a polarised campaign" in the state ahead of the elections, Kejriwal said, "That's why they will have to realise that all such tactics do not work."

"Kaam to woh karte nahin. Bina kaam kiye, ulti seedhi baat pe ladte hain. Woh chalta nahin hai (They do not work when in power and contest elections on rubbish issues. Such things do not work)," he added.