Et tu Karnataka, says National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on BJP’s probable win

SRINAGAR: Karnataka election results were eagerly anticipated for their far reaching importance on national politics and 2019 elections and when BJP took early lead, it caught all political leaders by surprise.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today used a Latin phrase, made famous by William Shakespeare in “Julius Caesar” to connote betrayal, to express his surprise over the election results in Karnataka.

“Et tu #Karnataka”, Omar tweeted as the trends of counting of votes showed BJP emerging as the single largest party in the state assembly elections with the possibility of getting a simple majority.

Et tu #Karnataka.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 15, 2018

‘Et tu’ is a Latin phrase meaning “even you”.

In the play, Roman dictator Julius Caesar’s last words are “Et tu Brute, Then fall Caesar” as he is assassinated by his friend Marcus Junius Brutus and other conspirators.

Omar was also quick to chide Congress leaders for blaming EVMs for its imminent defeat in the polls.

Please save this tweet for future reference. If I win it was all my charm & hard work. If I lose it’s all down to those blasted EVMs.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 15, 2018

The NCP today said the BJP’s victory in Karnataka was “unbelievable” as the results were not in sync with the situation on the ground.

The Sharad Pawar-led party, which had extended support to the Congress in the Karnataka polls and did not field its own candidates, also demanded that elections in future be held through ballot boxes.

Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil said the Congress was well positioned in Karnataka and there was no anti-incumbency against the Siddaramaiah government.

“In this context, the BJP’s victory is unbelievable. There is a difference between what was in people’s mind and the situation that has emerged,” Patil told reporters in New Delhi