Bengaluru: Congress triumphed in by-poll defeat, says Dr G Parameshwar

BENGALURU: Putting on a brave front after a humiliating defeat in by-polls to three Assembly seats, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr G. Parameshwar on Saturday remarked that his party has recognized triumph in the defeat of two of its candidates.

He told the media here: “The party was able to garner 1.67 lakh votes in all three constituencies whereas the BJP was able to secure 1.80 lakh votes of the 3.76 lakh total votes polled. Even after losing two seats, securing total 44 per cent of votes in these constituencies is an achievement by itself.”

According to him, the party lost two seats due to three reasons: first being last minute selection of the candidate, faulty campaign strategy adopted by leaders, and the inability of the party to convince voters about various achievement during the last two and half years. Besides, an internal survey carried out by the party had indicated that it could “easily” win all three seats but the results were certainly disappointing.

"Every election is different ball, and the approach has to be different. The party may have committed a mistake which can be identified only after holding consultations with leaders of these constituencies. I have already directed all three district in-charge ministers as well as DCC presidents to submit their reports on the party's performance,” the KPCC president added.

In response to a question, Dr Parameshwar did not agree with suggestions that some local leaders botched up the party’s plans in Hebbal.

“Our leaders have worked hard, but somehow the party could not taste victory in these constituencies,” he added. He declared that the party’s victory or loss in the by-polls or taluk and zilla panchayat polls could not be considered a referendum on the state government's performance.

“The electorate has given the Congress a mandate for five years in 2013, which means the same electorate will give the referendum in 2018, not in 2016.”

He maintained that elections to zilla and taluk panchayats are fought on different lines and a victory or loss in these local bodies could never be termed as referendum.

KPCC analysing reasons for party’s loss in by-polls
After the 1-2 verdict in recent bypolls to three Assembly seats, top leaders of the state unit of Congress are identifying factors which led to a rout in two constituencies.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Pradesh Congress Committee leader observed that the party would certainly elicit information on who played mischief at the booth-level.

“The task is a bit tedious, but we will certainly identify the culprits. As preliminary inputs suggests that poll percentage in minority dominated areas was not encouraging, the needle of suspicion certainly points at minority community leaders who call the shots in the city and who are veteran leader C. K. Jaffer Sharief's rivals within the party,” the leader added.

The leader said: “In case of Hebbal, the party had designated its entire party machinery apart from assigning leaders from all over the state to each polling station. Hebbal was certainly a high priority constituency for the party as central leaders had picked Mr C. K. Abdul Rehman Sharief as the candidate instead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's choice,” the leader added.