Bengaluru, May 4 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday raised concerns over the Assembly election outcomes in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
While Siddaramaiah was critical of “religious polarisation” in West Bengal, he noted that Tamil voters, who have historically rejected the BJP’s communal politics, were “swayed by the appeal of actor Vijay”.
In a statement here, Siddaramaiah said there was a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against three-time CM Mamata Banerjee.
He also alleged that irregularities in voter list revisions, along with the misuse of administrative machinery, money, and muscle power, significantly influenced the outcome. He added that the names of lakhs of her supporters were omitted from the rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“The BJP’s victory in West Bengal raises serious concerns about the health of India’s democratic system. Its reliance on religious polarisation continues to undermine democratic values,” Siddaramaiah said.
“I believe the people of West Bengal will reassess this mandate and respond accordingly in the next Lok Sabha elections,” he added.
The scale of the result in Tamil Nadu was unexpected, the CM noted.
According to him, despite anti-incumbency, the DMK government’s welfare-oriented programmes had earned public appreciation.
“Tamil voters, who have historically rejected the BJP’s communal politics, have always voted with awareness. It is concerning that sections of youth and women appear to have been swayed by the appeal of actor Vijay,” Siddaramaiah said.
He added that the DMK’s defeat marks a significant setback to the Dravidian political tradition.
“I am confident that Chief Minister M K Stalin will recover from this setback. I also extend my congratulations to Vijay on his unprecedented victory,” he said.
Siddaramaiah congratulated the voters of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for delivering a clear verdict that “the BJP’s divisive politics has no place in their states, just as in Karnataka and Telangana”.
He also said the Congress victory in Kerala was anticipated, driven by cohesive leadership, strong candidate selection, and a well-executed campaign.
Siddaramaiah credited Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for playing a key role. “The Congress Legislature Party in Kerala will soon elect its next CM, and we are confident the state will witness governance that sets a national benchmark,” he said. PTI GMS SSK
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