Maharashtra: Scooter catches fire as Congress workers burst firecrackers to celebrate Karnataka results

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A scooter-rider fell and his vehicle caught fire when Congress supporters burst firecrackers on a busy road in Thane, Maharashtra to celebrate the party's victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections on Saturday afternoon, the PTI reported.

The man, however, did not sustain any serious injury in the incident that took place near the city Congress office, eye witnesses told the PTI.

IN PHOTOS: Congress celebrates after defeating BJP in Karnataka elections

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Those who were nearby immediately rushed to his aid and also put out the fire, they said.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Saturday defeated BJP in the Karnataka elections. On their victory, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hailed the party's performance in the Karnataka assembly polls as a victory of love over hate and claimed this will be replicated in other states., the PTI reported.

With the party heading towards a comfortable majority in the southern state, Gandhi said "nafrat ka bazaar" has closed down and "mohabbat ki dukaanein" have opened in the state.

The Congress has won 100 of the 224 assembly seats in Karnataka so far and is leading in 36, while the BJP has won 45 and is ahead in 19, according to the latest trends on the Election Commission website. The Janata Dal (Secular) has bagged 16 seats so far and is leading in four.

"I thank and congratulate the people of Karnataka, party workers and leaders," Gandhi told a press conference here amid bursting of crackers and cheers by party workers at the party's headquarters, as per the PTI.

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"I am happy we contested the Karnataka polls without using hate, bad language. We fought the polls with love. In Karnataka, 'nafrat ka bazaar' (market of hate) has closed down' and 'mohabbat ki dukaanein' (shops of love) have opened," he said.

In the Karnataka polls, on the one side there was power of crony capitalists and on the other there was the strength of poor people, Gandhi said.

The strength of the poor has defeated the power of crony capitalists and this will happen in all states, he claimed.

Gandhi expressed happiness that the party raised people's issues and ran a positive campaign in Karnataka.

"This is the victory of everyone, Firstly of the people of Karnataka. We have made five promises to the people of Karnataka and we will fulfil these promises on the first day and in the first cabinet meeting," he said

(with PTI inputs)