PTI

Bangalore, May 25: Congress dismisses suggestions on Karnataka poll and shrunk party base
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday sought to blame the H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) for the BJP's first foray into the South but dismissed suggestions that the Karnataka poll outcome showed shrinkage of the party base.

Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said that though the party has improved its position from the last elections, it was for "all those who oppose the BJP to also introspect as to how they divided the non-BJP votes, thereby helping the saffron party."

He said the Congress has no doubt it will emerge stronger from what is bound to be a "brief spell in the Opposition".

Singhvi dismissed BJP leader L K Advani's claim that the Karnataka verdict was a turning point ahead of Lok Sabha polls and showed geographical expansion of the BJP and shrinkage of the Congress.

"All such generalisations are completely misleading and inappropriate," he said.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, Prithviraj Chavan also spoke in a similar vein. He said that secular votes were divided and that affected the Congress.

He also blamed the delayed delimitation and defective voters' list as reasons that contributed to the Congress' bad performance.