- Indian election scenario is never short of intrigue, thrills, machinations, and incredible turn of events which will even render the Bollywood thriller to shame. Since Indians are so used to round-the-year election happening in one or the other state we usually tend to pay less attention to the eventual outcomes. However, certain important states always tend to evoke keen interest among the citizens for the overall impact those election results would have on the country. One such election is in the offing in the next few weeks, and the state in question is Karnataka. As bonafide citizens of the state, many of us would be keenly observing what the ensuing elections entail for us. We know how the BJP came into the saddle courtesy of background machinations.
PC: Freepik
- As you are aware, three major political players in the state are BJP, Congress, and JD(S) who are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to assume power. Of course, any election in India is largely played out in the backdrop of caste equations that determine who the eventual winner is. This time too all three parties are eyeing their respective vote banks trying to impress upon the electorate. The BJP is fond of exhorting the electorate with the promise of a double-engine government – at the Centre and state – delivering on developmental assurances. Congress sees an opportunity to topple the BJP by highlighting less than impressive performances of the government by delving into alleged rampant corruption pervading the state administration.
- On the other hand, JD(S) is a regional party restricted in its presence in some of the farmer-heavy regions of the state. As such, the vokkaliga party is not expected to make little presence except in a few of the pocket boroughs. Thus, the two national parties will be directly squaring-off in a majority of the constituencies. We know how the BJP patriarch and former CM BS Yediyurappa was made to resign in a not-so-harmonious manner ostensibly in accordance with the party’s unwritten policy of retiring leaders above 75 years. However, the Lingayat strongman appears to be indispensable to the party looking at the way BSY is being projected at various election rallies. The incumbent CM Bommai appears to have been sidelined in favour of the old war horse.
PC: Freepik
- The moot point to ponder over here is why BSY is showered with such adulation, affection, attention, and traction by one and all including the PM. The BJP has realized that its support from the electorally crucial Lingayat community cannot be taken for granted anymore. Further, BSY continues to enjoy tremendous sway over the community who forms 14% of the state’s population. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community has a strong presence in almost 70 constituencies and the BJP cannot afford to antagonize them for fear of losing out. Therefore, who else but projecting Modi and BSY as the mascots to attract/assure the electorate to stay relevant in the fray? Will it work out for the BJP? The coming months will reveal the answer.
