Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah questions West Bengal, TN poll results; cites polarisation
Bengaluru (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.
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
