No Modi wave, no Congress-mukt Bharat anymore: DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru: “In this Lok Sabha election, practical concerns have triumphed over emotional appeals. The results demonstrate that there is no significant Modi or Ram Mandir wave, even in North India,” said KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar.

Addressing reporters about the election outcomes, he stated, “I respect the people’s verdict, both in the state and the country. Trust in politics has prevailed over power politics. Despite BJP’s claims of winning 400 seats, it was not possible. BJP has even lost in Ayodhya.” “We have increased our representation in the state from one seat to nine. Although we aimed for 14 seats, we respect the wisdom of the voters. We will analyse why we fell short and address any issues in the coming days,” he added.

Shivakumar congratulated Dr. Manjunath on his victory in the Bangalore rural area, noting that it was a personal win rather than a party victory. “Manjunath’s success, despite a calculated BJP strategy, was unexpected. He performed excellently, and there was no anti-incumbency sentiment. Yet, people decided to give him a chance,” he said.

Reflecting on his constituency, Kanakpura, he acknowledged, “I anticipated a lead of 60,000 votes but received only 26,000. In Channapatnam, the results were unfavourable. We will learn from this and respect the people’s judgment.”

Shivakumar also evaluated the broader political landscape, stating, “Modi’s popularity has waned, especially among Hindi-speaking regions. The BJP no longer holds an absolute majority, falling from 303 to 243 seats. Even the NDA did not achieve its claims and now depends on other parties.”

He noted the resurgence of the Congress party, saying, “A Congress-free India proved impossible. After 10 years, we have crossed the 100-member mark. This election has shown that the Congress party is resilient, thanks to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and Mallikarjuna Kharge’s efforts. Priyanka Gandhi also made significant contributions, and our vote share has increased.”

When asked about the results related to the guarantee schemes, Shivakumar responded, “I can’t make a definitive statement now. We expected to win at least 14 constituencies but fell short in Bengaluru. Mumbai-Karnataka and other areas. We will investigate why certain groups distanced themselves from us. It would be inaccurate to say the guarantee schemes were not fully implemented.”

Regarding post-election polls, he expressed skepticism, “I don’t believe in post-election polls. We anticipated a double-digit win until the last moment, but the votes did not materialise as expected.”

Discussing the situation at the Centre, Shivakumar noted, “The BJP did not achieve the anticipated numerical strength and must accept this setback. Their strategies, especially in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, did not resonate with the people. There’s no strong Modi or Ram Mandir sentiment currently. Indian politics is unpredictable.”

When asked about the campaign against the DK brothers by BJP and HD Kumaraswamy, he concluded, “While their campaign might have contributed, Manjunath’s win is a personal victory, not a victory for their parties.”