Indian Overseas Congress-USA calls victory in Karnataka very significant, Wants party to unify

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The victory of the Congress Party in Karnataka is ‘very important’ and ‘very timely’ said leaders of the Indian Overseas Congress-USA, and signifies the people’s dislike for divisive politics. The IOC-USA leaders praised voters and local leaders in Karnataka for the party’s decisive victory in State Assembly elections May 10, results of which were declared May 13, 2023. However, they urged internal unity in the party so that it could provide a viable opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Of the 224 seats in play, Congress won a whopping 135, gaining 55 seats; the BJP won 66 seats, losing 38, the Janata Dal (S) won 19, registering a significant loss of 18 sets; the remaining 4 being won by others.

Sam Pitroda, chairman of the IOCUSA, and a successful businessman from Chicago, told Desi Talk/News India Times the victory of the Congress Party at this particular juncture, was very significant.

The telecom inventor, entrepreneur, development thinker, policy maker, and author, said, “This victory is very important. This victory is very timely.”

“The basic message from my perspective is that people want diversity,” he added.

Bangalore is a technology city, Karnataka is much more progressive than many other states, and “This was a message that we don’t want polarizing politics.”

At the end of the day, introducing Lord Hanuman, Bajrang Bali, and Hanuman Chalisa, did not work, Pitroda contended.

“Bangalore wants to talk about – what have you accomplished and what is the future – all that didn’t find a place in the political discourse,” he said.

However, the “second big message” of the election was  for the Congress Party, Pitroda contended. “If Congress could unite and resolve internal conflicts … and wok as a team, it can go a long way,” Pitroda said. The party has a ‘machine’ in place and all that needs to be done is to activate that machine, he said.

He also countered critics who say the Congress Party is all about ‘dynasty politics.”

“There is no dynasty politics. It’s never a top-down – there is always a lot of bottom-up,’ in the approach to decision-making within the Congress. “When you are in politics you have to listen,” Pitroda said drawing attention to the overthrow of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s.

“People know things – and they are fed up. Public discourse today is about personalities, not issues,” Pitroda said. “But India is a country that respects diversity.” And even if communal clashes and politics is nothing knew, Pitroda maintained, the degree and intensity is different today.

“I hope the Congress can build on its victory and come out with a fair resistance to polarized politics. India has to respect the 200 million Muslims. They are part of the country – and one cannot spend time on conflict and not on development,” Pitroda emphasized.

The Vice Chair of IOCUSA George Abraham, in a formal statement, congratulated the people of Karnataka for the Congress’ victory.

“It is a great victory for all Karnataka’s freedom and peace-loving people. Having experienced the chaos, conflicts, and instability due to the communal agenda administered by the BJP over the last five years, the people of Karnataka have spoken that enough is enough,” Abraham said.

He echoed Pitroda’s views on the need to end polarized politics and attend to real issues of ordinary people such as inflation, unemployment especially among the youth, lack of housing and clean water and insufficient educational opportunities for the disadvantaged.

“That is the message Kannadigas are sending loud and clear through this election,” Abraham said.

He congratulated the local leadership of Siddaramaiah and D. K. Sivakumar “for navigating the Congress party to this huge victory,” and attributed the win to strong state leaders.

He credited Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra through Karnataka for contributing to the victory, and said the election may also have indicated people’s disapproval of the way Gandhi was disqualified from the Parliament.

“This victory could be a turning point for the Congress party and may point to a more robust challenge to Modi’s rule in the 2024 parliamentary election,” Abraham added.