Modi wave is over, says Sanjay Raut after Congress' big win in Karnataka polls

Mumbai: A day after Congress' big win in the Karnataka Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that the "Modi wave" is over in the country.

According to the Election Commission of India, Congress won 135 seats pushing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power in the only southern state it ruled.

"Modi wave is over in the country and now it's our turn. Now our wave is about to come in the country," said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut in a press conference in Mumbai.

Hitting out at BJP, Raut said that the victory of Congress in Karnataka has opened a door for the party in the whole country and the Karnataka Assembly election results show that dictatorship has been defeated.
"Karnataka election has opened a door for the party in the whole country, the people of Karnataka have shown how dictatorship is defeated. We thank the people of Karnataka," he said.

Talking about the Bajrang Bali row, Raut said, "Bajrang Bali has definitely participated in the election campaign of Karnataka, but he campaigned with the public, and Congress won, meaning Bajrang Bali was not with BJP but with Congress."

The Bajrang Bali row had taken centre stage during the election campaigns in the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly polls. Congress faced a major backlash from Hindu organisations after it announced a ban on Bajrang Dal in its manifesto for the Karnataka assembly elections.

Highlighting Home Minister Amit Shah's statement of calling the Congress party a "reverse gear" sarkar, Raut said, "Amit Shah said that if BJP loses in Karnataka, there will be riots, but after the victory, Karnataka is completely calm and is celebrating, is the country's Home Minister giving threats?"

Earlier Shah while addressing a rally at the Navalgund Assembly constituency last month, said, "One hand, there is the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and on the other, is the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. This (Karnataka Assembly) election is an opportunity for you to decide if you want a double engine sarkar led by PM Modi, which will take Karnataka forward, or the Congress's reverse gear sarkar, which will take Karnataka backwards."

Raut also noted that whatever has happened in Karnataka is exactly what is going to take place in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Karnataka went to the polls on May 10 for the 224-member state assembly and saw a record polling of 72.68 per cent.

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, and boosting its own prospects for the electoral battles ahead. BJP managed to win 66 seats.

Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) bagged 19 seats. Independents have won two seats while Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha won one seat each.