Already seen as a litmus test for the BJP and Congress and also as an indicator of the popularity of the Narendra Modi government, Karnataka Assembly polls is all set to pass verdict on Prime Minister’s ‘mass appeal’ and Congress adopting a mixed political strategy of giving space to the state leader Siddaramaiah but keeping Rahul Gandhi in limelight. Admittedly the BJP had unleashed its election strategy on defensive mode and had to depend on the popular Lingayat face B S Yeddyurappa – notwithstanding the old corruption charges against him. But as the electioneering entered the crucial stage, PM Modi's mass appeal seemed to make all the difference in electoral politics.
For his part, in this year’s Karnataka polls, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has tried to present himself as a ‘challenger’ to Prime Minister and said “now (he has) learnt to deal with the Prime Minister”.
At a symposium on May 8, when a member of the audience asked him if he could be next prime minister, Mr Gandhi responded: "Well, that depends on how well Congress does. I mean, if Congress is the biggest party, then yeah."
Prime Minister Modi – albeit deliberately – entered the election stage late and his party did well to package and present his ‘winning’ image of a 'decisive and performing leader' – committed to upholding traditional Kannadiga culture and who also struggles hard to fight corruption and for India’s development.
In number of places, Mr Modi sought to attack Congress leaders including Pt Jawaharlal Nehru of showing disrespect to Karnataka’s ‘sons of the soil’ and two top military officers Gen K S Thimayya and Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa.
He also said while Congress celebrated Tipu Jayanti, but due respect were not paid to Lord Basaveshwara.
Echoing this line of attack, BJP chief Amit Shah said: "The people of Karnataka understands this well. There has been a politics of appeasement (of Muslims) by the Congress. The Congress tried its old vote bank consolidation yet again and today the party stands exposed before the people”. In fact, from BJP’s point of view – Amit Shah’s election management skills came into focus - probably first time after UP - as he himself took charge of even minute things and had camped himself here by renting a house at city’s Fairlady Layout locality.
The heat is on for the May 12 election in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, where the pro-Hindu party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and rival Congress have pursued an aggressive quest for power in the run-up to the 2019 general election. A feverish campaign ended on May 10 with star campaigner Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressing a series of rallies and meetings, attacking each other's policies at national level and almost forgetting state issues.
Congress, which runs the state, believes victory in Karnataka would boost party workers of India's grand old political outfit, which has lost polls in various states and nationally since 2014. For Modi's BJP, which came to power in New Delhi in 2014, it is a popularity test of its policies and, more importantly, its ideology of building a nation based on Hindu principles. Modi's critics have accused him of making false promises of industrial growth, jobs and incentives for farmers.
Surveillance teams appointed by the Election Commission on May 8 seized cash, alcohol, jewellery and items such as pressure cookers, clothing and laptops suspected to be used as sweeteners for votes across Karnataka.
Congress repeatedly accused Modi of lying and twisting historical facts during the election campaign to put Congress leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru in a poor light. Modi often accuses Congress leaders of apathy and ignoring India's progress. "Modi has been distorting facts and presenting issues out of context, giving wrong data, misrepresenting historical truths. The kind of things he has been saying in the election campaign has embarrassed India," Congress leader Anand Sharma said.
But BJP leaders are cocksure of victory in the state after Modi's campaign tour in which he addressed more than 15 major rallies in front of massive crowds. "People strongly want a BJP government in Karnataka," said Prakash Javadekar, human resource development minister.
He said he would not be surprised if Congress takes only 44 of the 224 seats in Karnataka.
"Congress have lost state after state. They are afraid. They will lose this state also," Javadekar said, noting that the party now only rules Karnataka, Mizoram and Punjab of the 29 Indian states.
Since its 2014 national election defeat, Congress has lost power in states like Maharashtra, Assam, Uttarakhand and Haryana. Congress also lost in states like Meghalaya, Nagaland and Goa, where their sizable Christian populations traditionally supported them. However, Congress too is bullish about retaining power in Karnataka. "The BJP will lose out in Karnataka. The countdown for 2019 will begin," said Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Congress leader Mr Venugopal also claimed that the effective and successful road map prepared by the Congress for Karnataka polls ensured that leaders at all levels were involved. “The candidate selection process itself is a new method we adopted in Karnataka. I used to have regular weekly one-on-one meeting with Rahulji in addition to daily interaction over phone. This time for selection of candidates we involved maximum number of people. This was something new in the Congress”, said Mr Venugopal.
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| K C Venugopal: Rahul aide |
A senior Congressman in his own right, Mr Venugopal also said, “Earlier selection of candidates in the Congress party used to be done in a more secretive manner and decision making process was mainly confined to three-four people including the Chief Minister and AICC general secretary. But this time people from districts and all AICC secretaries were all involved in the entire process”.
In the ultimate, answers to many of these questions raised by political stalwarts and at times even by analysts vis-a-vis the outcome of Karnataka polls remains only in the womb of time.
Nevertheless, there is a paradox about Karnataka polls and the outcome of battle for Lok Sabha. In 2008, BJP won Karnataka but suffered reverses in 2009 parliamentary elections virtually decimating L K Advani from the political landscape and in just role reversal in 2013 while Congress mustered a convincing majority in Karnataka, the grand old party lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and its tally came down to all time low of 44.
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