Voters have punished Congress in Karnataka: Narendra Modi

Bengaluru : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally in Jharkhand, claimed that people in Karnataka have taught a good lesson to Congress in the by-election results.

"Today, after the results of Karnataka bypolls, those who cheated the mandate of the people have got their answers from voters in a democratic manner. Whether the BJP will be in power in Karnataka or not was to be decided today. People have punished the Congress there. This is a message for all the states in India that whoever will go against the mandate will insult the people and the voters will eventually teach them a lesson."

BS Yeddyurappa will be retaining the power in the state as BJP won 12 out of 15 seats in the by-polls which concluded last week. The Congress won two seats, while an Independent won one. The JD(S) suffered the biggest setback with zero wins.

The by-polls were held to fill up the vacant 17 seats which were created due to disqualification of the rebel MLAs.

The elections had taken place at Yellapur, Ranebennur, Vijayanagar, Yashwanthapur, Mahalakshmi Layout, Chikkaballapura, KR Puram, Shivajinagar, KR Pet, Hunsur, Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Hirekerur and Hoskote.