“Going by the outcome of the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the doubt and suspicion over tampering of EVMs still lingers in one’s mind,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said.
Responding to questions by presspersons here on Monday, he said “The results, despite anti-incumbency factor against the BJP government, especially in the wake of people unhappy with the impact of GST and demonetisation, corroborates with the doubt over likely tampering of EVMs.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah was also of the view that Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing the emotional card that he is a Gujarati and seeks blessings of Gujaratis, instead of talking of development, on one hand and Congress leaders Shankarsinh Vagela and 18 MLAs quitting the party before election was among other reasons for the Congress not winning more seats. However, going by the outcome of polls, the party had fared better and the popularity of AICC President had also been enormous, he felt.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, to a question, said that the outcome will not have any impact on the Congress’s poll prospects in Karnataka. “Issues are different here. In Karnataka the outcome of Gujarat polls and also Narendra Modi or Amit She will not have any impact. For my government has not only fulfilled all the promises, it is also free from the anti-incumbency factor. Being in politics for past four decades I am able to feel the pulse of people and I am confident Congress will come to power in the next election on its own.”
Santosh Lad, Minister for Labour, was present.
Our Staff Reporter reports from Yadgir:
Talking to reporters in Yadgir on Monday before leaving for Ballari district, the Chief Minister again said he suspected the functioning of EVMs in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. “Despite the anti-incumbency factor, the BJP won in Gujarat. Therefore, my suspicions. Many developed countries have returned back to the traditional ballet paper.”
Although he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s victory, he reiterated that Mr. Modi’s popularity has come down. If there was popularity, Mr. Modi had to have made a clean sweep in both States. “We gained more percentages of votes than BJP in spite of continuous campaign by Mr. Modi and Amit Shah, BJP national president, spending huge money”
He said that lack of networking and strong leadership may have caused Congress’s defeat in Gujarat.
The Chief Minister assured newly elected President of AICC, Rahul Gandhi, a gift of victory from Karnataka as people of the State won’t accept communal forces coming to power in the next elections. “Ananth Kumar Hegde, Union Minister, and other leaders are trying to disturb communal harmony for political mileage. But, I promptly say that people who believe in Basavanna, Ambedkar, Kanaka and Kuvempu won’t elect those forces.”
Confident about his party’s clear majority in the State, the Chief Minister said that there is no question of taking help from Janata Dal (Secular). “The JD(S) won’t register the numbers that it had secured in the last Assembly elections.”
