RS poll results: Karnataka congress leaders divided after BJP wins 3 seats

Bengaluru: In the aftermath of the BJP winning 3 of the 4 seats in the Rajya Sabha Election from the state, divisions within the Karnataka Congress have come to the fore. Some Congress leaders are disgruntled at the party’s decision to field a second candidate, which they feel aided the BJP to win one more seat.

These leaders saw the BJP winning the tightly contested fourth seat as a debacle.  They have accused Siddaramaiah’s “stubbornness and persistence” led to the mess, sources said.

Meanwhile, the leaders loyal to DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah have supported the party’s decision. They argue that fielding a second candidate hasn’t hurt Congress party but it was necessary to curtail the growth of JDS.

They claimed the move to field Mansoor Khan has demonstrated the party’s commitment to representing the interests of minorities, sources added.