New Delhi/Bengaluru
In 2018 the BJP could win as many as 104 seats in Karnataka falling just a few short of themagic majority mark in the 224-member assembly. The first few days experiment under B S Yediyurappa was cut short as Congress and the JD-S came together.
Ultimately in July 2019 -- just a few weeks after PM Narendra Modi's return to power in Delhi;17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs defected to the saffron party camp and thus the BJP returned to
power in Karnataka under veteran BSY.Now in the run up to the assembly polls the BJP faced anti-incumbency challenge and thus it required
a few gamechangers.The 'Modi magic' was its chief trump card as always. The right synthesis of Hindutva and development make all the difference. The party leaders also workedovertime to present before the voters various facets of the 'benefits' of the double-engine government.
In the last few days it was blessed with the 'God Hanuman' factor as the Congress perhaps unnecessarily took a risk of Muslim appeasement and blasted out at the Bajrang Dal comparing it with the IslamicPopular Front of India (PFI).
This was a heaven-sent opportunity for the Lotus party and Modi-Amit Shah duo. Many compared the Congress flip-flop with Sonia Gandhi's 'Maut-Ka-Saudagar' blunder of 2007 in Gujarat polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself played up the Bajrang Dal row effectively. He made it a point to
chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali' in all his speeches after the Congress released the manifesto.
Other BJP leaders made "God Hanuman" a campaign issue and PM Modi and important leaders such as Amit Shahand J P Nadda rightly likened the 'proposed ban' with locking up the God Hanuman.
The Hindu voters for their part in Karnataka got ready to pull up sleeves to fight out the 'monster of Muslim appeasement'. This was truly a gamechanger. On ground reports suggested that post the Bajrang Dal fiasco by
Congress, the leaders in the grand old party have also grown 'defensive' and are not sure of how much damagethe Bajrang Dal 'ban' row could cause.
One survey by an otherwise pro-Congress media group says an overwhelming 43 percent of voters said the 'Bajrang Dal ban' episode will help the BJP and harm Congress.
Predictably the Congress later tried to do some damage control and came up with a new pledge that they will also construct temples for God Hanuman. However, it goes without saying that the Congress leaders will do well to recall what veteran A K Antony had said some years ago that the grand old party is now easily identified as a pro-Muslim and an anti-Hindu party.
The saffron party has another gamechanger factor and this too will be crucial on Wednesday's polling.
"The BJP has 72 new faces and this move will help us increase our seats and victory margins," says
an important state leader Vijay Prasad.
In 2018 the saffron party had won 104. It was its second best performance after 110 in 2008. The majoritymark is 113 and hence from Nadda to Modi everyone is expecting to achieve that milestone.
"We are in fact targeting around 150 seats....We said so in Gujarat and the media and our rivals had underestimated us. We will again prove such experts wrong," says a central BJP leader who has been engaged almost full time fordrawing up electoral strategies and campaign programmes.
There are yet again about 27 seats where BJP's winning margin was less than 10,000. The party hasidentified these seats and have drawn up plans to tighten the loose ends.The booth workers have been specially instructed to walk the extra mile.
In the same context, Congress had won 36 seats with less than 10,000 marginsand JD-S had won 10 in that category.
Thus, the BJP poll managers feel these 46 seats will be in the 'winnable' list and these could makea big difference on the counting day.
ends
Voting begins in Karnataka: Fate of 2615 candidates in fray
Nirendra Dev
The voting for elections to the 224-member Karnataka assembly got underway on Wednesday, May 10,
morning.
Polling began at 7 AM and will continue till 6 PM. The fate of 2615 candidates are at the stake.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Shiggaon), Leader of Opposition and former CM Siddaramaiah (Varuna),
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy (Channapatna), Shivakumar (Kanakapura) are the among the top candidates
in the fray.
Over 5,30,85000 voters are eligible to cast their vote in the state. More than three lakh polling personnel
are deployed to ensure free and fair polls.
Besides 84,000 state police personnel, over 58,000 Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed to
maintain law and order, Election Commission sources said.
State Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has appealed to the young and urban electors to take
inspiration from the elderly voters like 103-year-old voter Mahadeva Mahalinga Mali and exercise their franchise
in the festival of democracy. In a statement, the Chief Election Commissioner said that basic facilities like
drinking water, toilets, ramps, wheelchair, electricity, volunteers, shades, help desks and parking facilities
have been provided at all the polling stations in the state.
"This election is crucial in deciding the future of Karnataka, and I appeal to all of you to form a government that
keeps the progress of the state in continuation and is committed to fulfilling the people's aspirations," BJP
president J P Nadda tweeted.
"I urge all the voters in Karnataka to participate in the festival of democracy in maximum numbers".
The Karnataka Chief Electoral Office has issued a directive to hotels and other establishments to stop
announcing discounts for voters who cast their votes. These establishments have been advised to refrain from
making such announcements so long the Model Code of Conduct is in force, till the counting is over on Saturday,
May 13.
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation has extended Namma Metro train services till late midnight
on the election day. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport
Corporation sadi, as most of their fleet of buses are used for the elections, skeletal bus services
will be available during the day on May 10.
On the other hand, the enforcement agencies have seized goods and freebies worth over 375 crore rupees
while enforcing the Model Code of Conduct in the state.
"Urging the people of Karnataka, particularly young and first time voters to vote in large numbers and enrich the
festival of democracy," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
'Critical Polling Stations' are covered by one or more of the measures like Micro Observers, Webcasting and
CCTVs to keep a watch on the polling process as force multipliers.
A total of 75,603 Ballot Units (BU), 70,300 Control Units (CU) and 76,202 voter verifiable paper
audit trail (VVPAT) are slated to be used during the voting.
After winning 104 seats in 2018 polls five years ago, B S Yediyurappa of BJP staked claim and formed
the government. However, as the JD(S)-Congress alliance was stitched ,he had to resign within
three days just on the eve of voting for the trial of strength on the floor of the House.
Kumaraswamy took over as CM, but the dispensation fell within 14 months, as 17 legislators of JD(S) and
Congress resigned and came out of the ruling coalition, and decided to back the BJP.
The BJP returned to power in July 2019 and in subsequent bypolls held after defectiors (MLAs) resigned,
the new ruling combine won 12 out of 15 seats. In the outgoing Assembly, BJP has 116 MLAs, followed by the
Congress at 69, JD(S) at 29, BSP at one, two Independents and there are six vacant seats.
The BJP is more than keen to cross the magic mark of 113 in the 224-member assembly while the Congress
from its much aggressive stance has diluted its electoral game a bit and now is hoping to tie up again
with the JD(S).
However, local analysts in Bengaluru and other places say the support base of former Prime Minister H D Deve
Gowda and his son former CM Kumaraswamy is on wane. The refrain being thus this party may not win more
that 20-25 seats as against 37 in 2018.
Mysuru-based retired Tehsildar, Kishore Prakash says, "The national media and especially the electronic
media are missing out certain important messages from Karnataka voters. Right from 2018 assembly polls,
the BJP has been experiencing gains on ground and seats in assembly polls".
The Lotus party had also swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state picking up 25 out of 28 seats..
In 2018, the BJP gained as many as 64 seats from its tally of 2013 while Congress
suffered a loss of 42 (as against 122 in 2013) and JD-S lost three seats.
ends
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