Monday, June 5, 2023
  • Login
The South First
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Videos
  • Karnataka Elections 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Videos
  • Karnataka Elections 2023
No Result
View All Result
The South First
No Result
View All Result

Home » Karnataka » After stunning loss in Karnataka Assembly polls, BJP yet to call meeting of Legislature Party

After stunning loss in Karnataka Assembly polls, BJP yet to call meeting of Legislature Party

Basavaraj Bommai said he had directed the state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel to call for a Legislature Party meeting in a day or two.

Mahesh M GoudarbyMahesh M Goudar
Published:16/05/2023 5:59 pm
A A
Karnataka BJP Narendra Modi

BJP has garnered a total vote share of 36 percent in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls. (supplied)

The BJP’s dreams of getting a complete majority for the very first time in the Karnataka Assembly were shattered when election results were declared on 13 May. The party was reduced to a mere 66 seats in 224-seat Assembly.

And the loss seems to have stunned the party into inaction. The BJP high command is yet to call for a Legislature Party meeting even two days after the results were declared.

The Congress registered a thumping victory by winning 135 seats, thus getting a clear majority for the second time in the last three Assembly elections.

As many as 12 incumbent ministers — including Dr K Sudhakar from Chikkaballapura, V Somanna from Chamrajnagar and Varuna, Govind Karjol from Mudhol, Murugesh Nirani from Bilagi, and BC Patil from Hirekerur — lost the polls.

Also read: Big Congress win busts BJP electoral prowess myths

Poor performance across regions

Other than coastal Karnataka, the BJP failed to perform well in any region, including Kittur and Kalyana Karnataka.

Of the 50 seats in Kittur Karnataka, the BJP won only 16, while the Congress won 33 seats, and the JD(S) won a single seat.

In Kalyana Karnataka, the Congress won 26 seats, the BJP 10 seats, the JD(S) two seats, and independents two seats.

In Coastal Karnataka, the BJP won 13 seats and the Congress settled for six seats. This is the only region where the saffron cadre performed well.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI): “The Congress has got the highest vote share with 42.9 percent, the BJP has managed to get 36 percent, the JD(S) received 13.29 percent, and other parties got 5.85 percent.”

When compared to the 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP’s vote share was down by 0.35 percentage points, the Congress’ increased by 4.76 percentage points, and the JD(S) vote share saw a drop of 5.1 percentage points.

Also read: Historians target BJP as Uri Gowda-Nanje Gowda creator resigns

Bommai meets RSS leaders

After failing in the Assembly polls, acting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders and held discussions regarding the poll outcome and organising the party for the future in Bengaluru on Monday, 15 May.

This was Bommai’s first visit to the BJP’s ideological parent organisation’s state headquarters “Keshava Krupa” after the poll results were declared on 13 May.

After meeting the RSS leaders, Bommai told reporters: “We have discussed the overall poll results. We have also discussed how to organise the party in the days to come with the guidance (of the RSS).”

“The BJP state president (Nalin Kumar Kateel) and the leadership will also hold discussions, and we will discuss how to organise the party in the days to come after that,” added Bommai.

As for the BJP’s Legislature Party meeting, Bommai said: “The Karnataka BJP unit has decided to do a detailed analysis of the overall poll results and also constituency-wise statistics, to find out the reasons for the party’s poll debacle.”

Stating that multiple factors have contributed to the party’s poor performance, he added: “They will all be analysed. The meeting of all newly-elected members and candidates will be held soon in this regard.”

Also read: Recounts, a 16-vote margin, and a namesake in Jayanagar

Bommai meets defeated candidates

Bommai on Tuesday was busy meeting the senior BJP leaders who lost the 2023 Assembly polls.

He met former ministers V Somanna and Dr K Sudhakar, who lost from Varuna and Chamarajanagar, and Chikkaballapura, respectively.

“As per the wishes of central leadership, our senior leader Somanna contested from two segments but he faced a setback in both seats. He has the capability to bounce back,” Bommai told reporters after meeting Somanna at the latter’s residence.

“Even after the defeat, he is active. He will get good opportunities and responsibilities in the coming days. The central leaders have also spoken to him. Win or lose is a part of the election. We will come back stronger,” he added.

Earlier, he met Sudhakar, who lost to the Congress’ young face Pradeep Eshwar by a margin of 10,642 votes in the Chikkaballapur Assembly seat in Bengaluru.

“I have tried to instil confidence in him. He has lost by a wafer-thin margin. We also discussed the reasons for the defeat in Chikkaballapur,” added Bommai.

He further said: “I have also directed the party’s state president to call for the Legislature Party meeting. The meeting will be held in a day or two.”

Also read: A report card on Modi-Shah government

Defeated BJP leaders blame reservation policies

Many BJP candidates who lost the elections pointed to the reservation policies for the party’s poor performance in the polls.

Incumbent minister BC Patil, who lost from Hirekerur, told reporters: “A few bad decisions taken by the government resulted in the poor performance of the party in the elections.”

He added: “The BJP government’s efforts to provide internal reservation to SCs and STs did not go well with few communities, mainly Banjaras, as they opposed it vehemently. This loss has been shocking to the party and its leaders.”

BJP minister Govind Karjol, who lost against the Congress’ RB Thimmapur from the Mudhol seat, told South First: “The date for the Legislature Party meeting is yet to be fixed. There are no talks within the party on holding newly-elected legislators’ meeting or assessment meetings on the poll results.”

He added: “The people have failed to recognise the development works, welfare programmes, and other projects implemented during the BJP’s regime. I would not like to comment anything more on the party’s debacle in the polls.”

Also Read: Modi, Shah campaigned in 47 segments; BJP won only 15

Karjol refrained from answering when asked whether the reservation policies of the Bommai government backfired on the party in the elections.

Political commentator Ashok Chandaragi pointed out: “The main factor for the BJP’s defeat the the poor reservation policies of the Bommai government. The quota hike that was given to Lingayats and Vokkaligas backfired on the BJP as the court ordered a stay on it.”

“This enraged the leaders and pontiffs of both the communities and they voted against the saffron cadre. Lingayats were the biggest supporters of the BJP but this time the community saw a division in votes across Karnataka,” he told South First.

He also said: “It is not just these two communities but also SCs and STs were also unhappy with the internal reservation. In most of the seats, Banjaras voted against the BJP.”

Chandaragi blamed the BJP for not initiating any action against the 40-percent commission allegations made by contractors.

Recommended For You

As Telangana tops CSE report in overall performance know where rest of South states finished, World Environment Day
News

As Telangana tops CSE report in environment performance, know where other South states stand

June 5, 2023
Drug ban India
Health

India cites therapeutic irrelevance and risks to ban 14 fixed-dose combination medicines used for cough, fever, and infections

June 5, 2023
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik pays tribute to those who died in the Balasore train accident in Odisha.
Politics

Triple-train accident: Odisha grapples with challenge of identifying the dead; 88 identified so far

June 4, 2023
KCR Dharani portal
News

Dump Congress leaders in the Bay of Bengal for criticising Dharani portal, says KCR

June 4, 2023
Arrests hit half-century in TSPSC paper leak case as SIT to identify candidates wearing Bluetooth earpieces
News

TSPSC paper leak case: SIT to identify candidates who wore Bluetooth earpieces; arrests hit half-century

June 4, 2023
BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay.
News

Bandi Sanjay dismisses speculations of TDP-BJP alliance, despite Chandrababu Naidu-Amit Shah meeting

June 4, 2023

Top Stories

As Telangana tops CSE report in overall performance know where rest of South states finished, World Environment Day

As Telangana tops CSE report in environment performance, know where other South states stand

June 5, 2023
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik pays tribute to those who died in the Balasore train accident in Odisha.

Triple-train accident: Odisha grapples with challenge of identifying the dead; 88 identified so far

June 4, 2023
Arrests hit half-century in TSPSC paper leak case as SIT to identify candidates wearing Bluetooth earpieces

TSPSC paper leak case: SIT to identify candidates who wore Bluetooth earpieces; arrests hit half-century

June 4, 2023

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Like and Follow

Follow @TheSouthfirst

Latest

As Telangana tops CSE report in overall performance know where rest of South states finished, World Environment Day

As Telangana tops CSE report in environment performance, know where other South states stand

June 5, 2023
Drug ban India

India cites therapeutic irrelevance and risks to ban 14 fixed-dose combination medicines used for cough, fever, and infections

June 5, 2023
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik pays tribute to those who died in the Balasore train accident in Odisha.

Triple-train accident: Odisha grapples with challenge of identifying the dead; 88 identified so far

June 4, 2023
The South First

CATEGORIES

  • News
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Entertainment & Culture
  • Featured
  • Health & Wellness
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Karnataka
  • Kerala
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Telangana

PAGES

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© 2023 The South First

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
  • Entertainment & Culture
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Health & Wellness
  • Karnataka Elections 2023
  • Dakshin Dialogues
  • Videos

© 2023 The South First

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our