Bengaluru: The Congress has accepted its defeat in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections and plans to review its performance through consultations with district Congress presidents, KPCC president B K Hariprasad said.
Addressing a press conference, Hariprasad said victory and defeat were part of the democratic process and declined to attribute the party’s loss to any single factor. He thanked graduates and teachers who voted for Congress candidates and noted that BJP candidates had initially been trailing in three of the four constituencies. He also pointed out that Puttanna had joined the Congress from the BJP.
Asked whether the BJP-JD(S) alliance posed a challenge to the Congress, Hariprasad acknowledged that the tie-up could create difficulties for the party. However, he claimed the alliance would remain intact only until the two parties achieved their political objectives.
He alleged that the BJP was relying on JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy because it could not defeat the Congress independently. The Congress would work out an appropriate counter-strategy to meet the challenge, he said.
Rejecting Kumaraswamy’s claim that the sting operation controversy and speculation over a leadership change had contributed to the Congress’s defeat, Hariprasad said there was no connection between the two. He maintained that Congress leaders had worked together during the elections.
Although party workers were disappointed with the outcome, they had actively participated in the campaign, he said, rejecting claims that their neglect had caused the defeat. Fresh appointments to various boards and corporations would be made next month, he added.
Defending the Congress government’s performance, Hariprasad rejected allegations of misgovernance and said any shortcomings would be identified and rectified.
