DK Shivakumar thanked all the party leaders. (PTI File)
“I had assured Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge that I would work in Karnataka. I can never forget the day when Sonia Gandhi came to meet me in jail. DK Shivakumar said, BJP had put me in jail
With the Congress set to win the Karnataka polls, state party chief DK Shivakumar turned emotional on Saturday, thanking all leaders and recalling the time Congress leader Sonia Gandhi visited him in Tihar Jail when he was asked to pay money. Was arrested on charges of money laundering.
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At 12:35 pm, the saffron party was leading on 69 seats, well short of the majority mark of 113 in the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly. Congress was leading on 125 seats, while JDS was leading on 25 seats.
Outgoing Chief Minister accepting defeat of Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka Elections 2023 Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday that the party would introspect for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and come back on time.
Meanwhile, Shivkumar became emotional. “The party cadre and all the leaders have worked hard. People have reposed faith in us. The leaders have supported us. This is collective leadership. We have worked together. The day I took the oath, I said that joining together is a beginning, staying together is progress. Working together is success.”
“I had assured Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge that I would work in Karnataka. I can never forget the day when Sonia Gandhi came to meet me in jail. The BJP put me in jail…the faith shown in me by the Gandhi family and the Congress. I thank all the leaders including Siddaramaiah, all the MLAs, party officials, general secretaries…’
“I will go to Ramnagar to collect my certificate and then come to the party office and address all of you. I have many things to tell.
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Meanwhile, the real battle for the Congress begins now as it faces the tough task of deciding its chief minister. As of now, there are two top contenders – former chief minister and old warrior Siddaramaiah and state Congress chief and troubleshooter DK Shivakumar.
The comparison with Rajasthan cannot be missed when Sachin Pilot was the State Congress President for almost four years and he took credit for the party’s victory. However, Ashok Gehlot was a former chief minister and the party felt that he had the support of a majority of MLAs and should be made the CM with Pilot as his deputy.