Karnataka Congress chief and now, deputy chief minister of the state, DK Shivakumar on Sunday expressed his dis-satisfaction with the whopping 135 seats won by the party in the assembly election held earlier this month. He further appealed to the party cadre to maintain calm and work for the 2024 general elections.
"Let me confess you all something. I am not happy with the 135 seats we achieved in the assembly polls," Mr Shivakumar told party cadres.
"Our focus needs to be in the right place and that is the upcoming general elections. The Congress should perform well in every poll from now on, and we all need to work hard. This is just a beginning and do not get lazy with just one win," added Mr Shivakumar.
He also urged the party cadre to maintain peace in the state. “Do not gather at my house or Siddaramaiah’s house for any reason. We need to maintain peace in the state, and we need to give a strong administration for the next five years. Whatever happens to any leader, the party should be the primary priority and working for the party will only fetch the results,” he added.
Siddaramaiah along with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and eight other MLAs took oath of office and secrecy yesterday. In the Karnataka assembly elections held earlier this month, the Congress party ousted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), winning 135 of 224 seats.
Congress is hoping to capitalise on former party president Rahul Gandhi's massive pan-India foot march "Bharat Jodo Yatra" which it says has re-energised its cadre base. Congress credited the yatra for the Karnataka win.
The win ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year has moved the Congress to now focus on other poll-bound states in the country as the grand-old-party has called for a meeting of its leaders from various states.
In the 2019 election, the BJP had won 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka the Congress and Janata Dal Secular won one each.
