The Congress is on track for a thumping victory in Karnataka, which will dislodge rival BJP from its lone southern citadel. The Congress are currently leading on 135 seats, while the BJP is ahead on 64. Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday hoped that Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister of the country in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after Basavaraj Bommai conceded defeat in the Karnataka Assembly Election 2023. "It is a mandate against Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda. PM Modi came to Karnataka 20 times. No PM in the past campaigned like this," Siddaramaiah who is a top contender for the CM post said. This is a victory for a secular party!! People of Karnataka wanted a stable government that delivers as promised, and hence have given the mandate for Congress!!" Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Talking about the ramifications of the Karnataka results coming after a bitterly fought battle, Siddaramaiah said this is a stepping stone to the Lok Sabha election. "I hope all non-BJP parties come together and see that BJP is defeated and I also hope Rahul Gandhi may become the PM of the country," Siddaramaiah said. While it initially looked like a tight fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, the picture turned over soon. BJP took a slight edge over Congress in very early leads that included postal ballots as well, the Grand Old Party, however, was quick to take the lead back from BJP as soon as EVM counting began. When asked about who would be the CM face, Siddaramaiah said the decision rests on elected MLAs and the party high command.
“Despite the BJP’s heavy spending on Operation ‘Kamala,’ Rahul Gandhi’s padyatra also played a crucial role in motivating our party workers," Siddaramaiah added. Most exit polls predicted a tight contest between the Congress and BJP, however, the former was given an edge by most pollsters, which the Saffron party is confident to prove wrong. JD(S), meanwhile, appears to be expecting a hung verdict, which would enable it to play a role in government formation, or “king maker”.