INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Karnataka Results: Rahul Gandhi addressed 38 election rallies in a bid to retain Karnataka
(File)New Delhi:
After one more crushing defeat in Karnataka, the Congress moved to ring-fence its
president Rahul Gandhi from any blame
A senior Congress leader in the state lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the Karnataka election result, alleging that his
arrogance cost the party.Rahul Gandhi addressed 38 rallies in Karnataka and peppered his campaign with visits to temples and mutts.But even
the move to accord minority religion status to the Lingayats - traditional supporters of the BJP - backfired
The Vokkaligas, an influential support base of the Janata Dal Secular, also placed the BJP rather the Congress in second places
The Congress is seen by analysts to have failed completely in exploiting dissatisfaction over farmers unrest, lack of jobs and rising fuel
prices. Rahul Gandhi rides a bicycle during Karnataka campaign trail to protest fuel price hike. "Rahul Gandhi did his best, but it is we
who have lost the elections
We, the local leadership, should have encashed it (Rahul Gandhi's campaign) in a proper way, because of which we lost it," said DK
Shivakumar, looking crestfallen on his birthday."Rahul Gandhi did his best
He went to the streets, he went to the people
We are very proud of the Congress party president
It is we who lost the game."After losing Karnataka, the Congress is left with just Punjab, Mizoram and federally-administered Puducherry.Mr
Shivakumar said the party had never expected such a bad defeat
"It is not a good sign for local leaders," he said, commenting that Siddaramaiah was overconfident.Asked whether he attributed the Congress
defeat in parts to a "Modi wave", he demurred and went to the grassroots: "I don't think it is a Modi wave
It is mostly our own defects
We have to be more cautious at the constituency level."The party's central leader Veerappa Moily, a former union minister, said "caste let
us down"."It was not Rahul ji's leadership," said Mr Moily, even before being asked about the party president
"The caste chemistry did not percolate."Another party leader in Delhi blamed last mile connectivity and said "no central leader can be
blamed for block level problems".For the latest Election Results Live Updates from Karnataka log on to TheIndianSubcontinent.com
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