The Karnataka BJP criticized Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for his remarks on the Sringeri Assembly constituency recount, calling them “childish” and alleging an insult to the Constitution and the judiciary. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi T. Narayanaswamy stated that Shivakumar’s comments were politically motivated and showed peak frustration on the part of the Congress. Narayanaswamy urged the Congress to accept the people’s verdict and refrain from making allegations against officials and BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj.
Questioning Shivakumar’s labeling of the recount process as a “criminal activity,” Narayanaswamy emphasized that the exercise was conducted in line with the High Court’s directions. He criticized the Congress for lacking faith in the electoral process and judicial institutions, alleging a history of targeting constitutional bodies when election results do not favor them. Referring to the Sringeri recount, the BJP leader highlighted attempts at “vote manipulation” and stated that the outcome reflected the truth.
Narayanaswamy dismissed allegations of official misuse as baseless, asserting that a court-supervised process eliminates bias. He criticized the Congress’s indication of pursuing a legal battle as an attempt to “cover up defeat” and warned against casting doubt on the Election Commission’s impartiality.
