Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, May 21: Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday May 21, defeated Congress Party Lok Sabha candidate from Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency Jayprakash Hegde expressed satisfaction at the fact that the party could get more votes than it expected, in the recently held election. Still, the party leaders and candidates would equally share the responsibility for the defeat and will hold an internal meeting to introspect on the reasons for the defeat, he revealed.

"The voters have delivered a wake-up shock to the BJP that was projecting the Congress Party as a non-entity in the constituency. The Congress Party that could get 3.74 lac votes is satisfied with this performance. We are highly grateful to the voters and party workers for this performance. If we had some more time at our disposal, the result would have been different," he rued.

Even though the Congress Party could not perform well in Karnataka, the voters everywhere else, have supported the United Progressive Alliance. Reposing total faith on the credence and capabilities of Dr Man Mohan Singh, foreign investment has started pouring in and stock markets have recovered.  The party will try to meet the assurances made during the election campaigning. As there is UPA government at the centre, the party leaders will be able to coax it into sanctioning more grants for the constituency.  Efforts would be made to complete the widening of the national highway work between Kundapur and Suratkal at the earliest, he added.

District Congress president Gafoor noted, that the constituency was with the BJP previously and expressed the view that the party would have won the seat, if it had some more time to work for the victory of its candidate.

Contress leaders Veronica Carnelio, Diwakar Kundar, Narasimha Murty, Prasanna Kumar etc were present.