In a dramatic turn of events, Congress Party’s DK Suresh, who recently stirred controversy by demanding a separate nation for the southern states of India, was decisively defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Suresh lost to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate CN Manjunath by a substantial margin of 269,647 votes
DK Suresh, a prominent Congress leader, during his campaign advocated for a separate nation for states in southern India, a statement that drew considerable criticism and debate. Despite his prominence and influence, Suresh’s proposal did not resonate well with the electorate.
The BJP’s CN Manjunath capitalised on this discontent, emphasising national unity and development in his campaign. Manjunath’s victory is seen as a reaffirmation of the BJP’s policies and a rejection of divisive rhetoric. His campaign focused on economic growth, infrastructure development, and maintaining the integrity of the Indian Union, which evidently appealed to a broad spectrum of voters.
With this victory, CN Manjunath has not only secured a seat in the Lok Sabha but also reinforced the BJP’s growing influence in the southern states, traditionally a stronghold of regional parties and the Congress. The significant margin of victory highlights the electorate’s decisive shift towards the BJP in this region.
In the past also, Suresh sparked a row when he raised his “grievance” that the southern states, particularly, Karnataka, get less funds from the Union Government as compared to the states of Uttar Bharat.
In the heart of his allegations, lies the claim that the tax collected from the states in Dakshin Bharat is given to the “distributor in Uttar Bharat”. This can be inferred as an attempt to target the faultlines of North-South divide in Bharat.
“The Centre is not properly giving the right share of GST and direct taxes to South Indian states. The South Indian states are facing injustice. The money collected from southern states is being given to North Indian states. If this continues, we will be forced to demand a separate country,” the Congress leader said.
He further threatened to raise a demand for a separate country if the trend continues. “The centre is getting over Rs 4 lakh crore from us and what we are getting in return is negligible. We have to question this. If this is not rectified, all southern states have to raise their voices demanding a separate nation,” DK Suresh added.
The sharing of revenues between the Centre and the States, currently takes place on the basis of the criteria set by the 15th Finance Commission. The criteria includes the area of the state, the size of forest cover, population from 2011 census, demographic performance, etc.
Meanwhile, the results reflect a broader trend observed across various constituencies in the 2024 elections, where the BJP has made significant inroads, often at the expense of the Congress and other regional parties. The defeat of DK Suresh, a high-profile Congress leader, is a particularly notable setback for the party, signalling potential challenges ahead as it seeks to regain its foothold in southern India.
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