Commenting on the defeat in the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said on Monday that the "recent results in the general elections were a warning bell" and added that it warranted a course correction.
Speaking to the media at his official residence in Kumara Krupa, he added, "We will be holding review meetings with all the party leaders. It is time to introspect and make necessary course corrections. The results are a warning bell."
"We have a review meeting for Bengaluru constituencies today and similar review meetings will be held in other constituencies of the state as well. We will announce dates for these review meetings shortly," Shivakumar said.
Asked about the AICC President expressing unhappiness about the results of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, he added, "We were confident of winning 14-15 seats, but we have failed to achieve these numbers. We have to accept people's verdict. We haven't got votes even in villages and towns of party leaders, we will deliberate on this."
Asked about some sitting ministers blaming party MLAs for the defeat in Lok Sabha polls, he said, "Nobody has complained about it to me. There is no point in the blame game. Leaders who are in charge of the constituencies must talk to party workers and find out the reason for the defeat and come out with recommendations."
Opposition leader R. Ashoka on Monday said that zero development and bankruptcy due to the implementation of the guarantees have led to the debacle in the performance of the Congress government during the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in Karnataka.
Speaking to the media, Ashoka said the guarantees had not garnered votes for the Congress.
"The Congress government is bankrupt and no development is taking place. The Congress implemented guarantees for votes. Now, they are in a state of taking loans for disbursing salaries."
"The MLAs are demanding funds, and the pauper (Congress) government is keeping the dues pending everywhere. Without guarantees, they could not win the Lok Sabha election. During the previous term of the BJP government, the BJP MLAs sanctioned projects and had built schools, and hospitals and implemented irrigation projects. The people are criticising that the Congress MLAs are not able to bring any development," Ashoka alleged.
"The Congress government had looted the money of Dalits and achieved a big zero in terms of development. The state government is dead for the people. Not a single minister is seen engaged in relief work caused by heavy rains in the state," he said.
"The party has suffered setbacks in seats represented by ministers. They are facing the fear of losing posts. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar's brother D.K. Suresh was defeated in a humiliating manner. Rahul Gandhi had asked them that despite the ruling party in the state, how they could lose the election," Ashoka added.
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