K'taka election results herald positive future for India: Vijayan

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Reacting to the Karnataka election results, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said that the results herald a positive future for the country and the people gave a befitting reply to the BJP. "Now there is no BJP rule in any state in south India. The people of Karnataka gave a befitting reply to the BJP," the Chief Minister said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in Karnataka for 10 days and conducted half a dozen road shows. This shows how desperate was BJP for winning the election. People also took the election seriously. This is the verdict that people gave after being fed up with the BJP's rule," Pinarayi Vijayan added.

According to the Election Commission of India, Congress won 135 seats pushing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power in the only southern state it ruled. BJP managed to win 66 seats. Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) bagged 19 seats.

"Congress should learn from its past. BJP will not remain content in being in opposition. The BJP had tried to come to power despite losing the election. In the past, Congress MLAs have supported their attempt. Congress leadership should be careful not to repeat this," The CM said.

He claimed that there is a strong feeling prevailing in the country that BJP should not come to power again. Mentioning that Congress is not what it used to be in the past when it ruled the country with an absolute majority in the Parliament, He said: "Congress ruled the country alone for a long time. The current political situation is not like that. The aim should be to remove the BJP from power. Congress should also play a part in it."

"In all the neighbouring states of Kerala, parties different from the Congress are in power. Congress should accept that reality," he added. He said that if the BJP comes to power again at the centre, it will be a complete disaster for the country".

"In view of that, anti-BJP votes should be consolidated from each state. In this. context, currently good efforts are being undertaken in the country. The election result in Karnataka is a boost to all such attempts," Vijayan said.