A new hashtag trend, #SouthKicksOutBJP, gained traction on Twitter and memes flooded social media as the Indian National Congress (INC) began taking a decisive lead in the counting for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 on Saturday, 13 May.
Apart from common people from across the five southern states, several leaders also took to Twitter to hail the Congress victory, describing it as a befitting lesson to the BJP and its divisive politics, as they posted messages on the trending hashtag — #SouthKicksOutBJP — on Twitter.
‘Befitting lesson to BJP’s vindictive politics’
It was on Twitter that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin congratulated the Congress while referencing the BJP-led Union government’s misuse of central investigative agencies against Opposition leaders, the imposition of Hindi, and the disqualification from the Lok Sabha of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“Congrats @INCIndia on spectacular winning of Karnataka. The unjustifiable disqualification of brother
@RahulGandhi as MP, misusing premier investigative agencies against political opponents, imposing Hindi, rampant corruption have all echoed in the minds of Karnataka people while voting and they have upheld the #KannadigaPride by teaching a befitting lesson to BJP’s vindictive politics,” Stalin said.
He added, “The landmass of Dravidian family stands clear of BJP. Now let us all work together to win 2024 to restore democracy and constitutional values in India.”
Congrats @INCIndia on spectacular winning of Karnataka. The unjustifiable disqualification of brother @RahulGandhi as MP, misusing premier investigative agencies against political opponents, imposing Hindi, rampant corruption have all echoed in the minds of Karnataka people while…
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 13, 2023
KTR thanks Kannadigas of rejecting divisive politics
In similar fashion, Telangana IT Minister and BRS leader KT Rama Rao said, “The way Kerala Story failed to amuse people of Karnataka, similarly Karnataka election results will have NO bearing on Telangana.”
Thanking the people of Karnataka for “rejecting ugly & divisive politics”, KTR hoped that Hyderabad and Bengaluru will now “compete healthily” for investments and creating infrastructure for the greater good of India.
“My best wishes to the new Congress Govt in Karnataka,” KTR said.
Just the way Kerala Story failed to amuse people of Karnataka, similarly Karnataka election results will have NO bearing on Telangana
Thanks to the people of Karnataka for rejecting ugly & divisive politics 🙏
Let Hyderabad and Bengaluru compete healthily for investments &…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) May 13, 2023
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President and Member of Parliament Revanth Reddy, in a message on social media, said, “People have rejected BJP’s conspiracies in Karnataka. Bajrang Dal tried to politicise the sacrifice. Modi defeats BJP in Karnataka. Defeated JDS and rejected KCR.”
Expressing confidence, the TPCC leader added, “Congress will come to power with a clear majority in Telangana too. The same results are going to come in the country as well.”
కర్ణాటకలో బీజేపీ కుట్రలను ప్రజలు తిప్పికొట్టారు.
భజరంగ్ బలిని అడ్డుపెట్టుకుని రాజకీయం చేయాలని చూశారు.
కర్ణాటకలో బీజేపీ ని ఓడించి మోదీ ని…
జేడీఎస్ ను ఓడించి కేసీఆర్ ను తిరస్కారించారు.తెలంగాణలోను స్పష్టమైన మెజారిటీతో కాంగ్రెస్ అధికారంలోకి వస్తుంది. దేశంలో కూడా ఇవే ఫలితాలు… pic.twitter.com/PoITGMARTr
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) May 13, 2023
Telangana BSP President RS Praveen Kumar said, “Kudos to the people of Karnataka who have saved Karnataka from the rampant corruption and xenophobic politics of the RSS-BJP and saved India from slipping back into the stone age. Even in Telangana, the people here are going to overthrow the autocratic and corrupt BRS-BJP secret alliance and build a Bahujan Raj.”
Twitterati react
Several Twitter users posted message on the trending hashtag — #SouthKicksOutBJP — with many of them referencing the Bajrang Dal-Bajrang Bali controversy that the BJP raked up in the final stages of the election campaign in an apparent attempt at polarisation.
Others referenced the controversy over the movie The Kerala Story, flayed as Sangh Parivar propaganda in the state, but endorsed by Prime Minister Modi in election rallies in Karnataka.
#ElectionResults #SouthKicksOutBJP #Congress #CongressForKarnataka But BJP pic.twitter.com/6FxAVpjiO8
— Rubbish Guswami (@DoBechaare) May 13, 2023
#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/C9swPQSGOl
— JpDmk (@jpdmkit) May 13, 2023
I don't know about y'all but I saw some signs. 😭#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/Z7HX8xorrL
— Ponni VP (@Madhu7777) May 13, 2023
#KarnatakaElectionResults
BJP now…#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/OlGWGQQNyE— JSK (@JSK9080) May 13, 2023
At least South Remains as a #BJPFree kingdom#SouthKicksOutBJP #KarnatakaElectionResults pic.twitter.com/WZCD0FxKis
— இளஞ்சேரலாதன் (@ilancheraladhan) May 13, 2023
#SouthKicksOutBJP
Thanks for Karnataka People….
Soon in #2024Election we say Thanks for whole Indian people from here pic.twitter.com/JWqBiQPMRy— VennaWorld (@VennaiWorld) May 13, 2023
#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/ST8uYuuLXv
— Sibiraj 𓃵Nagercovil 🇮🇳 (@Sonu69249048) May 13, 2023
BJP's BC Nagesh who enforced unjust Hijab/Headscarf ban and humiliated thousands of Muslim female students in Karnataka and deprived them of education, has been DEFEATED!! #KarnatakaElectionResults2023 #BJPMuktSouthIndia #SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/04X62bpcPe
— George 🍿🎥 (@georgeviews) May 13, 2023
Jaao BJP From south #SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/6zRLy7tElt
— s h a h i d (@saahiiyy) May 13, 2023
#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/DjlLm49E1P
— Austin (@Austin59853241) May 13, 2023
கர்நாடகா தேர்தலில் பாஜக சார்பில் தேர்தல் பொறுப்பாளராக 🐖அண்ணாமலைக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட 86 தொகுதிகளில் 80 தொகுதிகளில் பாஜகவுக்கு தோல்வி 😛😝#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/8riepJzrls
— Ex_MLA_Candidate (@Tamilithayan) May 13, 2023
मैं फूल के चक्कर में फूलता रहा, मुझे खबर न हुई
और वो मुझे फूल फेंक कर फ़ूल बना गये।
🥺#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/torjkbOAjW— sumit upadhyay (@sumitupadhyay__) May 13, 2023
#SouthKicksOutBJP pic.twitter.com/xo40zKQAaW
— JpDmk (@jpdmkit) May 13, 2023
Memes by political parties
Non-Congress political parties, too, joined the revelry as the BJP lost its hold over the whole of South India.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) IT wing posted a poster, saying, “A ‘secular Karnataka’ is a slap in the face of those who thought that they could harvest the votes of the Hindus by opposing the minorities.”
சிறுபான்மையினரை எதிராகக் காட்டியே, இந்துக்களின் வாக்குகளை அறுவடை செய்து விடலாம் என்றிருந்தவர்களின் முகத்தில் ஓங்கி அறைந்து இருக்கிறது 'மதச்சார்பற்ற கர்நாடகம்'.#SouthKicksOutBJP#BJPMuktSouthIndia pic.twitter.com/84zWxmkkvx
— DMK IT WING (@DMKITwing) May 13, 2023
Similarly, the Congress’s ally in Bihar— the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) — came out poking fun at the BJP with a few memes and videos.
“Shahnawaz Hussain of Bhagalpur getting ready to be sent to the TV studio after his defeat in Kar-Nataka election,” read one of the memes.
Hussain was once one of Muslim faces of the BJP in Parliament.
भागलपुर वाले शाहनवाज हुसैन की खजरंग दल वाले कर-नाटक चुनाव में हार के बाद टीवी स्टूडियो भेजने के लिए तैयार करते हुए। #KarnatakaElectionResults pic.twitter.com/XcS4ZNFOmu
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) May 13, 2023
ऐसे वीडियो की हम कड़ी निंदा करते है। pic.twitter.com/lBjBym5dU3
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) May 13, 2023
Not only, the allies of Congress, others too joined the joined the bandwagon. “The need of the hour!” BRS Spokesperson Y Satish Reddy tweeted with a cartoon by Satish Acharya.
The need of the hour! #KarnatakaElectionResults pic.twitter.com/eMYi1yfKJ2
— YSR (@ysathishreddy) May 13, 2023
