Mangaluru
Congress candidate Padmaraj R Poojary, who faced defeat in the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency, said that the people are educated and intelligent, but voted in the name of Ayodhya, while people there voted against the BJP.
He told media persons that they need to introspect on the reasons that led to our defeat and work towards overcoming the same, he said. The BJP had started their campaign by visiting homes and distributing mantrakshate as part of the Ram temple inauguration, he added.
Poojary expressed confidence that if he had more time to campaign, his performance would have been stronger. He wished he could spend more time in assembly constituencies. Despite the time constraints, he was pleased to secure 6,14,924 votes, surpassing the previous Congress candidate’s count. Drawing inspiration from the BJP’s organisational strength, particularly their page committees, Poojary affirmed his commitment to strengthening the party at the grassroots and booth levels.
While extending congratulations to Capt Brijesh Chowta for his victory, Poojary also extended his support for furthering development and maintaining harmony in the region. He stressed the importance of the MP’s role in reviving the district’s past glory through harmony and developmental initiatives.
Former Minister Ramanath Rai asserted that although the Congress party faced electoral defeat, it emerged victorious on moral grounds. He criticised the BJP for their present struggle to retain power, suggesting that they had lost moral integrity. Rai said the BJP tried their best to undermine the INDIA bloc alliance using government agencies like IT and ED, as well as freezing bank accounts, rising prices of essential commodities.
