Tears of joy, equanimity and introspection: Leaders react to Karnataka’s mandate

Shivakumar tried to control tears of joy as he spoke to the media because the party hit a landslide under his leadership. When he came under threats from the BJP whose leaders asked him to choose between joining the saffron party or going to jail, he chose the latter, he said.

AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge echoed his sentiments, praising Sonia Gandhi for campaigning even when she wasn’t well. “We will uphold the people’s belief in us and will implement all the welfare schemes we have announced in our manifesto,” he said.

BJP defector Jagdish Shettar, who lost to the BJP in Hubblli-Dharwad Central seat, said the ruling party has paid a price in both Kittur-Karnataka and Kalyan Karnataka because of the insults it heaped on the Lingayat community.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah called the result a mandate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda. “The PM came to Karnataka 20 times. No PM in the past campaigned like this,” he said.

BJP veteran leader BS Yediyurappa, Lingayat community’s tallest political figure, said victory and defeat were not new to the party. “Party workers need not be panicked by these results. We will introspect about the party’s setback,” he said.

Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, who had replaced Yediyurappa in July 2021, conceded that the BJP missed the mark this time. “As a national party, we will not only analyse but also see what deficiencies and gaps were left at various levels. We take this result in our stride,” he said.JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, who had all along said his party would come to power on its own, failed to repeat its 2018 performance. His son Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost in Ramanagar assembly seat, vacated by his mother Anita Kumaraswamy. This was his second electoral defeat after the 2019 Lok Sabha setback.