'Modi not invincible': Oppn leaders after Cong win in K'taka; says should work together to win 2024
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition leaders on Saturday lauded the Congress' splendid performance in Karnataka and thanked the people of the state, saying that this win has shown that "Modi is not invincible" and that they should work together to win 2024 to restore democracy and constitutional values in India.
Thanking the people of Karnataka, Congress party workers and leaders, Rahul Gandhi said,"I am happy we contested the Karnataka polls without using hate, bad language. We fought the polls with love. In Karnataka, 'nafrat ka bazaar (market of hate)' has closed down', 'mohabbat ki dukaanein' (shops of love) have opened."
The Congress victory also comes at a time when opposition leaders like Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and NCP chief Sharad Pawar are making renewed efforts to forge unity among the non-NDA parties to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
"Beginning of the end for BJP before 2024 Lok Sabha polls", said West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC head Mamata Banerjee.
"My salutations to the people of Karnataka for their decisive mandate in favour of change!! Brute authoritarian and majoritarian politics is vanquished!! When people want plurality and democratic forces to win, no central design to dominate can repress their spontaneity: that is the moral of the story, lesson for tomorrow," she said in a tweet.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said a Congress victory sends the message that the "end of the BJP's negative, communal and corrupt politics" has begun.
Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi, "the message from Karnataka is that the 'antkaal (end)' of the BJP's negative, communal, corrupt, pro-rich, anti-women, anti-youth, socially divisive, propaganda, individual-centric politics has begun."
"This is a strict mandate of a new positive India against inflation, unemployment, corruption and animosity," he added.
Welcoming the Congress' performance in Karnataka polls, the ruling CPI(M) and opposition parties in Kerala said it was an indication of public sentiment against BJP's alleged divisive and communal politics.
"Pro-poor promises and secular stance helped Congress to score the historic Karnataka victory. It urges them to learn the necessary lessons and to be more responsible in national politics. Modi is never invincible. If all secular forces are united, 2024 will see the end of BJP Raj," said Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam.
Attacking the BJP, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin listed a slew of issues that he claimed worked against the saffron party.
"Congrats @INCIndia on the spectacular winning of Karnataka. The unjustifiable disqualification of brother @RahulGandhi as MP, misusing premier investigative agencies against political opponents, imposing Hindi, rampant corruption have all echoed in the minds of Karnataka people while voting and they have upheld the #KannadigaPride by teaching a befitting lesson to BJP's vindictive politics.
"The landmass of the Dravidian family stands clear of BJP. Now let us all work together to win 2024 to restore democracy and constitutional values in India," he said in a tweet.
JD(U), which is enthused by its leader Nitish Kumar playing a "national role" by uniting parties opposed to the BJP, but with the caveat that he was himself not a claimant for Prime Ministership said Karnataka is now going to be "BJP-mukt".
"In Karnataka, the BJP tried every trick in the book and played the communal card to the hilt. Even the Prime Minister campaigned in a manner that was unbecoming of his high office. But all these tricks failed, under the weight of the corruption of the BJP government in Karnataka which is now going to be BJP-mukt", tweeted JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan.
He added, "In the recent past, the BJP has been ousted from power in Karnataka and the Delhi Nagar Nigam. This year, Madhya Pradesh shall be BJP-mukt and so will be the country in 2024 just wait".
Shivanand Tiwary, national vice president of the RJD, the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan' said, "the mandate in Karnataka sends out the clear message formation of a new government, after the Lok Sabha polls, under a new Prime Minister, is possible".
In a statement, the veteran socialist leader also claimed that "more than the BJP, the defeat is that of Narendra Modi, who ran a fantastically frenzied campaign. The way he chanted the name of Bajrang Bali showed scant regard for the post he holds and the fact that he is watched the world over".
Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan congratulated Rahul Gandhi for the "significant victory".
Taking to Twitter, he said,"just as Gandhiji, you walked your way into peoples hearts and as he did you demonstrated that in your gentle way, you can shake the powers of the world -with love and humility. Your credible and creditable approach, without bravado or chest-thumping, has ushered a breath of fresh air for the people."
"You trusted the people of Karnataka to reject divisiveness, who in turn have unitedly reciprocated by placing their faith in you. Kudos for not just the victory but also for the manner of victory!", he added.
Describing the assembly poll results as a "ray of hope", PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said she hoped that the rest of the country will also reject "communal politics" and vote for its development and prosperity.
"The BJP tried its best to communalise the situation as is their habit. They even brought Bajrangbali, religion, Hindu-Muslim to the discourse...Despite that, people kept these issues on the sidelines and chose the issue of development on which the Congress ran its campaign," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
"I hope people across the country will also reject communal politics and vote for the country's development and prosperity," Mufti added.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweeted, "thank you Karnataka for choosing LPG over Bajrangbaliji."
CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya also thanked the people of the state for the mandate.
"Thank you #Karnataka for giving such a fitting rebuff to not just the corrupt and non-performing Bommai regime but to the hate-filled and arrogant Modi-Shah-Yogi campaign. It has set the stage for the forthcoming elections and encouraged every defender of democracy across India," he said in a tweet.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel said the BJP's attempts to polarise the polls proved futile and people's mandate in the southern state shows that Bajrangbali' is with the grand old party.
He described BJP's electoral performance in Karnataka as the defeat of Modi and said he had centered the saffron party's entire election campaign around himself and this loss is his loss.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Karnataka has chosen the politics of development over communal politics.
"This will be repeated in the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana as well," Gehlot said in a tweet in Hindi.
Assembly elections in these four states are due later this year.
The Congress crossed the 113-seat mark on Saturday in the 224-member Karnataka assembly polls, the majority required to form the government and defeated the incumbent BJP.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
