Congress in Karnataka unfazed by defeat in Gujarat polls

Bengaluru, Dec 18 :   Karnataka's ruling Congress on Monday expressed confidence in retaining power in poll-bound state despite its defeat to the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Gujarat results wherein the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a majority of seats, would have "no impact" on the assembly polls in Karnataka, due in April-May next year.

"Gujarat results would have no impact on assembly polls in Karnataka. There is no anti-incumbency in state against the Congress or my government," he said, adding that the issues in two states -- Gujarat and Karnataka -- were "different".A

"I know the pulse of the people here (in Karnataka). I am sure we (Congress) will win in Karnataka.

"There is no connection between Gujarat results and the ensuing assembly election in Karnataka," the Congress leader asserted.

It was due to the leadership of Congress President Rahul Gandhi that the party could win more seats in Gujarat, compared to the 2012 elections, he added.

Congress national spokesperson and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said their party's campaign was a "clean" one while the BJP's had "communal undertones".

"We (Congress) ran a good, clean campaign, spoke about development and people's issues. BJP ran a negative campaign with emotional issues and communal undertones," he said.A