Jharkhand Cong celebrates win in Karnataka, says Bajrangbali taught BJP a lesson

The Congress in Jharkhand on Saturday celebrated the partys win in Karnataka assembly elections defeating the BJP and, taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bajrangbali pitch, asserted that Lord Hanuman taught the saffron party a lesson.Congress workers assembled at the state party headquarters here and danced to the beats of drums, smeared green gulal on each other, burst firecrackers and distributed sweets among themselves as the results from the May 10 election unfolded.They raised slogans such as Jai Bajrangbali and Rahul Gandhi Zindabad.Our party is set to form the government with a decisive majority in Karnataka.

The Congress in Jharkhand on Saturday celebrated the party's win in Karnataka assembly elections defeating the BJP and, taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Bajrangbali' pitch, asserted that Lord Hanuman taught the saffron party a lesson.

Congress workers assembled at the state party headquarters here and danced to the beats of drums, smeared green 'gulal' on each other, burst firecrackers and distributed sweets among themselves as the results from the May 10 election unfolded.

They raised slogans such as 'Jai Bajrangbali' and 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad'.

''Our party is set to form the government with a decisive majority in Karnataka. The BJP raised the 'Bajrangbali' slogan during the election campaign. But Bajrangbali taught them a lesson and gave his blessings to Rahul Gandhi,'' Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said.

Countdown now begins for the end of the BJP government at the Centre, as "we have the blessings of Bajrangbali ji," Congress leader and minister Banna Gupta said in Jamshedpur.

A major row had erupted during the campaign after the Congress, in its election manifesto, said it was committed to taking firm action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred among communities on grounds of caste or religion and cited the examples of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, an RSS-affiliate.

Modi made this a big poll issue, urging the people of Karnataka to say 'Jai Bajrangbali' when they cast their vote to ''punish'' the Congress which, he claimed, "wants to lock up people who say Jai Bajrangbali (Hail Lord Hanuman)''.

''We fought the Karnataka polls with full power. And, we are now ready for the battles in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. People sent a message through the Karnataka elections that they are going to vote for the Congress also in the next year's Lok Sabha polls,'' Thakur said.

The Congress is a constituent of the ruling JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand.

State Chief Minister Hemant Soren congratulated the people of Karnataka and the Congress for the win.

JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said Karnataka people gave a befitting reply to the BJP in the elections.

''Our ally Congress took out Bharat Jodo (Unite India) Yatra, while the BJP went to the Karnataka polls with 'Bharat Todo' (Break India) mantra. People cannot be divided,'' he said.

BJP Jharkhand president Deepak Prakash said, "We lost the Karnataka polls as we could not take the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of past nine years to the grassroot level."