The official victory in the Karnataka assembly elections is a source of immense joy for the Congress, which was defeated in the recent elections in the country. A success breeding unprecedented confidence along with exhilaration. The election also gives Congress, which is poised to take over Karnataka by winning 136 seats in the 224-member Assembly, the morale to approach the elections in a year with more confidence. Eight of the ten opinion polls released two days ago in connection with the Karnataka elections had predicted the return of Congress.

Whether in war or election, those who strategize and fight with increased vigor will be the winners. The BJP was ousted from power in Karnataka when it was governing in the state and at the centre. Not only were the strategies flawed, but overconfidence also became a setback. This collective failure is proof that the BJP leadership has not been able to understand the anti-government sentiment. They did not use their power for the good of the people. Despite widespread corruption at all levels, the administration and party leadership did not intervene much. The main slogan in the election campaign was the commission scam in administration. It was alleged that projects were contracted by taking 40% commission. In this age of information technology, it only takes a few seconds for any misdeeds of the government to spread like wildfire. Allegations of corruption leveled by Congress played a major role in the people turning against the Bommai government.

The election results indicate that the Congress has almost dominated the coastal region and Bengaluru city. This was evident from the very first phase of the polling. Compared to the previous election, Congress has managed to be far ahead in voting percentage as well. This time the party's vote share has also increased from 38 percent to 53 percent.

The people of Karnataka may not have forgotten the out-of-the-line moves taken by the BJP in the past to capture power. The backlash that which BJP faced now can be considered a repercussion of that. BJP representation has reduced from 116 seats to 64 in the Legislative Assembly. At the same time, the Congress won 136 seats and proved its increased popularity without any doubt. In the battle between BJP and Congress, the Janata Dal, which was waiting to enter the field and play the game after considering the possibility of a hung assembly, was also punished by the people. Compared to the last election, they have lost seventeen seats this time. Kumaraswamy, who had boasted that we would decide who would reign in the administration, had to leave the scene with his head down.

Karnataka has gone through an election where caste and money played an important role. No existing law is sufficient to curb the influence of money. The Election Commission seized more than 400 crore rupees from campaigners and offices of major parties. Gold was also recovered. There was no shortage of efforts to win votes by using caste politics and fostering religious rivalry. There is a need for revolutionary changes in the Representation of the People Act to wipe out such corruptions that have become a part of contemporary Indian elections. It's just that no party is ready for that.

DK Shivakumar can certainly be proud of being the main architect of Congress' resounding victory in Karnataka. Through hard work, he and his colleagues gave the party an unattainable victory. Even before noon, the BJP leadership had publicly admitted defeat as they realized where the flow was going in the first stages. The leaders also announced that they show a comeback in the next year's Lok Sabha elections. The usual refrain of 'accepting the people's verdict' was also heard.

BJP will have to wait a long time to get over the fatigue of losing the only state in South India. Rahul Gandhi's personal role in giving the party a huge victory is worth mentioning. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by him, generated a great deal of enthusiasm among the workers. Rahul, Priyanka and Sonia played a decisive role in the election campaign which helped the party. Congress president Kharge will also be remembered for his brilliant victory in the elections held in his own state. The strategies to win over the voters were well set on the opposite side under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister started campaigning without even considering that this is the assembly elections. The Congress faced this through concerted actions and planned campaign strategies. The results prove that the flaws in the selection of candidates were also unfavorable for the BJP.

The elected Congress members are meeting today to elect the leader. It is not certain whether the successful architect DK Shivakumar or the old-fashioned Siddaramaiah will be elevated to leadership. If we look for the Congress method, the decision will come from Delhi. Former Chief Minister Shettar's colossal defeat is proof that voters will punish opportunistic leaders. Shettar, who was a BJP leader, left the BJP and joined the Congress just before the election to protest against not getting a seat. Shettar, who sought the popular vote on the Congress ticket, is leaving the stage with a heavy defeat. In every election, there will be someone who will be the object of public anger like this.