The BJP has won 12 out of 15 seats in Karnataka by-elections, held on 5 December. The Congress, meanwhile, has won two seats, and the JD(S) has drawn blank in the polls.
Dinesh Gundu Rao has resigned as Karnataka Congress president, while former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has resigned as the leader of Opposition, on Monday, 9 December.
Speaking on the bypolls, PM Modi slammed the Congress saying, “The mandate in Karnataka was stolen through the backdoor by Congress. People have now taught the party a lesson.”
- Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar accepted defeat, saying that “people have accepted defectors”
- Taking into account the bypoll trends, the BJP’s tally will increase to 117 seats, while the Congress and JD(S) will be left with 68 and 34 seats respectively
- Counting of votes began at 8 am on Monday, with the BJP needing to win at least seven of the 15 seats in order to hold on to power
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Karnataka Bypolls: Dinesh Gundu Rao Resigns as KPCC President
Dinesh Gundu Rao has resigned as the Karnataka Congress president, following the BJP’s comfortable victory in the bypolls.
“Rahul Gandhi had chosen me as KPCC president, I have given it my 100%, to guide the party to the best possible position. But after the results today, as a moral responsibility, I have tendered my resignation to Sonia Gandhi. I am still ready to serve the party in any capacity, as decided by AICC and state leadership. I am always with the Congress.”Dinesh Gundu Rao
Siddaramaiah Resigns as Legislative Party Leader
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah resigned as the leader of Opposition, with the BJP set to secure a comfortable majority in the Karnataka bypolls.
“As a leader of legislative party, I need to respect democracy. I have resigned as Congress Legislative Party leader. I have submitted my resignation to Sonia Gandhi,” said Siddaramaiah.
'People Have Taught Congress a Lesson': PM Modi on Karnataka Bypoll Results
With BJP leading in 12 seats out of 15 in Karnataka, PM Modi slammed the Congress at a rally in Jharkhand, saying “Congress and its allies (had) subverted the mandate” in the state and “stabbed it in the back”.
“The mandate in Karnataka was stolen through the backdoor by Congress. People have now taught the party a lesson… Some people said the BJP has limited influence in the South. The people of Karnataka defeated and punished them in a dramatic way during bypolls,” Modi was quoted as saying.