K'taka Cong accepts defeat; BJP taunts about internal fight

Bengaluru/Bagalkote: After defeat in both the Assembly seats in the bypolls, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D.K. Shivakumar said on Tuesday that he will 'graciously' accept defeat in both the seats -- RR Nagar in Bengaluru and Sira in Tumakuru district.

"In democracy, everyone is supposed to accept the people's verdict graciously, and I accept it," he said.

His brother and Bengaluru rural Lok Sabha member D.K. Suresh tweeted thanking everyone who supported the Congress in Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar). "Workers needn't lose hearts, we will work even harder to wrest the seat next time," he said in his tweet.

Reacting to the development in Bagalkote, Karnataka Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said that everyone must take victory and defeat in the same stride. "This is democracy, and we need to respect the people's mandate," he said while alleging that the BJP and the JD(S) had tacit understanding in these constituencies.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP through its Twitter sarcastically remarked that both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah were more interested in dreaming about who would become the next CM instead of investing their energy to ensure their party's victory in the elections.