In Karnataka, Congress records impressive victory in urban local body elections

D.K. Shivakumar, KPCC president, said the results were a pointer that the 2023 Assembly election would be in the party’s favour.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar (left).

The Congress recorded an impressive victory in Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections, the results of which were declared on December 30. The Congress won 501 seats out of a total of 1,184 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win 433 seats followed by independents who emerged victorious in 195 seats. The Janata Dal (Secular) put up a poor show, winning only 45 seats, while other parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party and the Social Democratic Party of India won the remaining 10 seats. The BJP lost to the Congress in Bankapura and Guttala, both of which are located in Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s home district of Haveri.

Reacting to the results, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said that there was "a wave in favour of the Congress in Karnataka". He added, "This is a clear sign that the Congress will easily win in the next Legislative Assembly elections (Elections in Karnataka are slated to be held in 2023). BJP members proudly show off how they win elections with money power but that is not the only requirement to win an election. You should sincerely work for the people – only then will they vote for you."

D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, also said the results were a pointer that the 2023 Assembly election would be in the party’s favour. "The people have stood in favour of the Congress even though there is a BJP government in power," he said.

Bommai stated, "The BJP has increased its seat share in the ULB elections. Coming to my district, the BJP has never won in Bankapura and Guttala because religious minorities constitute 65 per cent of the population here. Let there be no doubt that in 2023, we [BJP] are going to come to power."