Karnataka polls: Certain that Congress has won, PM has lost, says Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): With the leads indicating that the Congress is likely to get a majority in the Karnataka assembly polls, the party on Saturday said it is now certain that it has won and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "lost" as the BJP had made its election campaign a "referendum on the PM".
The Congress was striding forward with leads in 117 seats while the BJP was ahead in 75 in Karnataka, according to Election Commission trends, as votes were counted for an election widely seen as a litmus test for both parties ahead of the 2024 parliamentary polls.
"As the results firm up in Karnataka it is now certain that the Congress has won and the PM has lost. The BJP had made its election campaign a referendum on the PM and on the state getting his 'ashirwaad'. That has been decisively rejected!" Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.
The Congress fought these elections on local issues of livelihood and food security, price rise, farmer distress, electricity supply, joblessness and corruption, he said.
"The PM injected divisiveness and attempted polarisation. The vote in Karnataka is for an engine in Bengaluru that will combine economic growth with social harmony," Ramesh said.
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EAM Jaishankar to represent India at Donald Trump's swearing-in on January 20
New Delhi, Jan 12: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
During his visit to Washington, Jaishankar will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming Trump administration, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.
"On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of President-Elect Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America," it said.
"During the visit, the external affairs minister will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming administration, as also some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion," the MEA said in a statement.
