I am 'Bhoomiputra' of Karnataka, says Kharge

Bengaluru, May 13:  Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said he is the 'Bhoomiputra' (son of the land) of Karnataka after his party emerged victorious in the state Assembly election by winning 136 of 224 seats.

Addressing reporters at a press conference, Kharge said: "If Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the Bhoomiputra of Gujarat, I am the Bhoomiputra of Karnataka."

Kharge, in the last phase of campaigning, claimed that "the people of Karnataka should help him to maintain his self-respect by bringing the Congress party to power".

"We got the momentum with Mekedatu padayaytra. We have won all the seats wherever Bharat Jodo Yatra had passed. This is the big achievement of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Kharge said.

He described the victory as the result of a collective approach.

He insisted that all five guarantees will have to be fulfilled at the first cabinet meeting.

"This win is the victory of the people of Karnataka. The Congress has got a big majority after 35 years," he said.

"It was all possible because of the blessings of Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi did everything and he would not take any credit. He stayed in the state like a Kannadiga and carried out campaigning," Kharge stated.

Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala thanked the people of Karnataka for giving the majority required to form the government to the Congress.