Confidence is when a political figure schedules a press conference for the day of the election results, one day prior itself. However, for the former Union Minister B. Janardhana Poojary, the confidence did not translate into embarrassment on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, merely minutes after Congress’ victory seemed all but certain, Mr. Poojary said the “Congress has accepted its victory humbly”.
However, humility remained only in those lines, as he continued to target the BJP. “One can clearly see that they have fallen in the pit they have dug. They have not even managed to win 45 seats. The shameful defeat should be a lesson to every political party which chooses corruption over its primary responsibility,” he said.
Stepping up his attack against Gujarat Chief Minister M. Narendra Modi, who had campaigned for the BJP in Mangalore, Mr. Poojary said people of Karnataka had shown him that he was not fit to become Prime Minister. “Hindutva is love and not hatred, and the people have taught him a lesson in that.”
He advised Congress leaders to work earnestly and not let the victory “go to the head”. “If you take pride in victory and indulge in corruption, your condition will become like that of K.S. Eshwarappa (BJP state president who has lost his seat in Shimoga),” he said.
Mr. Poojary commended U.T. Khader for surpassing his father UT Fareed’s record of high winning margins, and congratulated Kundapur independent candidate Halady Srinivas Shetty for winning by a large margin. On the sole losing candidate in the district, Mr. Poojary said: “He (Sullia candidate B. Raghu) lost by a small margin. He is a very good candidate and has opportunities in the future.”
Mr. Poojary said he had “no expectations” of becoming Chief Minister. “I had a chance of getting the top post four times, and I had rejected it each time. Since I am not good with financial matters, I dithered,” he said.
