In this context, the BJP’s victory is unbelievable. There is a difference between what was in people’s mind and the situation that has emerged, said NCP.
National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar (Photo: SNS/File)
The National Congress Party on Tuesday said reports of Bharatiya Janata Party leading in Karnataka Assembly elections is “unbelievable” as the results were not in sync with the ground situation.
The Sharad Pawar-led party, which had extended support to the Congress in the Karnataka Assembly elections and did not field its own candidates, also demanded that elections in future be held using ballot papers.
Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil said the Congress was well positioned in Karnataka and there was no anti-incumbency against the Siddaramaiah government.
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“In this context, the BJP’s victory is unbelievable. There is a difference between what was in people’s mind and the situation that has emerged,” Patil said.
He claimed that the image of the BJP and its chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa was “not good” because of the allegations of corruption. “The BJP’s reach in Karnataka was limited. This result should be analysed properly,” he said.
Wondering why the secular votes got divided, Patil said if the BJP got more votes where its strength was limited, then doubts over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were true.
“The Election Commission should conduct elections through ballot papers to remove doubts. There will be a delay but doubts will be cleared. The EC should think over this,” he said.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the need of the hour is to ensure the Congress takes along all like-minded parties to defeat the BJP in future.
As per early trends, BJP is leading in 27 seats and has won 77.The Congress is leading in 32 seats and has won 46, while the JD(S) has won 23 and is leading in 14 seats.
The Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) were the main contenders among other national, regional and fringe parties in the May 12 elections.
In all, 2,622 candidates, including 217 women contested for the seats, which had 36 reserved for Scheduled Castes and 15 for the Scheduled Tribes.
Election in Bengaluru’s Raja Rajeshwari (RR) Nagar was postponed to 28 May due to seizure of voter ID cards and countermanded in the city’s Jayanagar seat due to the death of BJP candidate and MLA BN Vijaya Kumar on 4 May. Vote counting in RR Nagar will be taken up on 31 May.
(With agency inputs)
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