State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel has accepted defeat. He said, “We had done some good work under Yedyurappa and Bommai. We didn’t expect this result. We accept the defeat. As party president, I accept responsibility.”Earlier, Conceding defeat in the Karnataka assembly election, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party has not been able to make the mark, while the Congress did it successfully. Bommai's reaction comes even as the Congress was striding forward with leads in 128 seats, while the BJP was ahead in 66 in Karnataka, according to Election Commission of India trends, as votes were counted on Saturday for an election widely seen as a litmus test for both parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.Congress workers and leaders, desperately looking to reverse its electoral fortunes and position itself as the main opposition player in 2024, were jubilant. After the thumping victory in Karnataka, the focus in Congress party has now shifted on who will become the Chief Minister.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar are in the forefront for the coveted post and both are looking at the high command for its decision.Siddaramaiah, while answering a question on who will become the CM, stated on Saturday that the high command will take the opinion of newly-elected MLAs and a decision would be taken accordingly. The observers will be sent here by the high command and a decision would be taken later after consultations and due process, he added.Shivakumar also maintained that the high command will take a call.Sources explained that the high command is coming up with a 50:50 formula for Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, as the stakes are huge for the party in the runup to the Lok Sabha elections.