VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President N Raghuveera Reddy claimed that the Telugu speaking voters in Karnataka played a significant role in keeping the BJP out of power.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the APCC President said that the Congress leaders including him had campaigned in the Telugu voters dominated areas in 34 Assembly constituencies of which the BJP was defeated in 27 constituencies.
Moreover, the BJP forfeited deposits in 12 Assembly constituencies, he pointed out.
"By not voting for the BJP, the Telugu voters have taken revenge on the BJP for denying Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.
The voting trend in the Telugu dominated areas in Karnataka has clearly indicated that the Telugus want SCS to be granted to AP and the issue will be alive till it is granted" he said and thanked the Telugu voters in Karnataka for their role in keeping the BJP out of power.
"We cannot blame Mr B S Yedyurappa in this episode as he was made a scapegoat by the BJP leadership.
BJP National President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi hatched the mischievous plan of buying MLAs but failed to execute it ," he alleged and asked them to learn a lesson from Karnataka election.
Mr Reddy predicted that the downfall of BJP had begun with the Karnataka Assembly election.
He accused the BJP leaders for offering Rs 100 crore to Rs.150 crore to Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
The APCC President thanked the Congress and JD(S) MLAs for refusing the lucrative packages and made it clear that the Congress leaders would also campaign in other states wherever large numbers of Telugu voters reside.
Earlier, the Congress activists and leaders took out a huge rally from the Congress office celebrating the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress Victory in Karnataka after the floor test was ordered in the Assembly on Saturday.