With the Karnataka Assembly elections rapidly approaching, a prominent leader of the BJP predicted that the party would reach nearly 100 seats in the 224-member assembly.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged that the party might fall short of the 113 seats needed for an absolute majority. This assessment is a significant improvement compared to the earlier projection of 60 to 70 seats for the BJP in April.
While faced with challenges such as anti-incumbency, corruption allegations, inflation, and the loss of key leaders from its main caste base, the BJP has recouped some ground during the Karnataka Assembly elections held on Wednesday. It is expected that the BJP will come on strong against the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular). Analysts and observers have widely acknowledged this turnaround.
The BJP’s resurgence in the Karnataka Assembly elections is attributed to several factors, including a vigorous campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that focused on development issues, the Congress’s mistakes, and the strategic use of the Hindutva card at the end of the canvassing stage. In the election, these factors played an important role in helping the BJP regain its footing.
BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former Chief Minister and Lingayat leader B S Yediyurappa, are confident the party will win the Karnataka Assembly elections with a majority. In 2008, the party fell just three seats short of a majority, and in 2018, nine seats were short, forcing them to buy MLAs from other parties or independents. However, this time, the BJP leadership is hopeful that they can secure a clear majority without resorting to such tactics.
Karnataka is the first southern state where the BJP has formed a government. However, Karnataka had not voted an incumbent government back to power after a full term of five years since the 1970s when Devaraj Urs’ Congress government won a second term. This historical trend adds to the significance of the current Karnataka Assembly elections. The ruling Congress government is seeking re-election for a second consecutive term, and the BJP hopes to break the trend and form a government for a second time.
The Congress party in Karnataka unveiled five promises in its bid to defeat the BJP, which is facing the brunt of rising living costs, including the prices of cooking gas and diesel. The guarantees are designed to tap into the anger and frustration of the people.
It is promised that the Congress will provide women with a monthly income of Rs. 2,000. In addition, 3,000 is promised to unemployed graduates, 10 kilograms of rice will be given to families below the poverty line, 200 units of electricity will be given to low-income families, and women can travel for free on buses. Providing these guarantees addresses the most pressing concerns of the poor and marginalized sections of society, whose votes will likely determine the outcome of the elections.
Reported by Matrika Shukla
