Cong won due to negative campaign against BJP: Shettar

Speaking for the first time after the Bharatiya Janata Party got a drubbing in Karnataka on Wednesday, outgoing chief minister Jagadish Shettar said that the party suffered a loss because of a negative vote. Addressing a press conference at Bangalore, Shettar, who will resign from the top post at 6 pm, said that they accepted the peoples’ verdict with humility.

“I thank the people of Karnataka, who gave us an opportunity to rule the state for five years. Now, we will sit in the Opposition and do a constructive job,” he said.

Shettar, however, was quick to add that the mandate was not in favour of the Congress. “They won only because of a negative campaign against the BJP.”

Karnataka BJP chief Prahlad Joshi said that he took responsibility for the defeat. “I would like to tell the next government to continue the good work that we have done. We have implemented many pro-people policies in the state and we wish they continue to reach the people through the next government,” he added.

“In the next 15 days, we will call for a meeting of all our party workers to introspect the defeat. We will consult with our national leaders and find a way to work our way through,” Joshi said.

Image: Outgoing Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar