No Modi wave, says Siddaramaiah as BJP hopes to wrest Karnataka

BENGALURU: Ruling out the presence of a "Modi wave," Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah today said the BJP won the UP assembly polls using "Hindutva card" with the anti-incumbency against the Akhilesh government too playing a role in its win.

"Polarisation of votes... they played the Hindutva card very extensively. Anti-imcumbency (against the Akhilesh government) too had a role," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

"We, however, have to respect the people's mandate."

Differing that there was a "Modi wave," Siddaramaiah asked as to why the BJP did not win in Punjab if it was there. He, however, added that the success of the "Hindutva card" was confined to Uttar Pradesh only.

Siddaramaiah said the family feud in the Yadav family and the anti- incumbency too were the factors that contributed to the BJP's success.

Responding to a query, Siddaramaiah dismissed the BJP's claim that he was also facing anti-incumbency.

"There is no anti-incumbency in Karnataka. It seems the BJP has not forgotten the sins they committed while in power."

Spurred by the spectacular victory in the assembly polls, the Karnataka BJP, meanwhile, said the outcome would have a bearing on the state also, where the party is hoping to come back to the power in elections due early next year.

Asserting that the "Modi wave" was sweeping across the country, the BJP state unit president B S Yeddyurappa said it would "naturally" have an impact on Karnataka too.

"We have received people's support beyond our expectations. It is a victory for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. It will naturally have an impact on Karnataka also," said Yeddyurappa, who is tipped to be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in the state.

He said the BJP is ready to face the assembly elections in Karnataka anytime as it is making an all out effort to rid the state of the Siddaramaiah government, hit by a "string of scandals."

"The results of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand will pave the way for our party to come back to power with 150 (out of 224) seats," Yeddyurappa, who headed the first ever BJP government in the South, but had to quit over charges of corruption, told reporters.