- The overwhelming victory with an absolute majority in Karnataka must have enabled the Grand Old Party in Karnataka to not only remain relevant in the state but also to receive a much-needed boost to fight on a national level in the future. Remember, the Grand Old Party had been struggling to remain relevant in the face of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s relentless onslaught in recent years. Consecutive setbacks in the electoral battles in some critical states would have severely demoralized the ranks and file. All that appears to have happened since the Karnataka mandate must have prompted Congress to regroup with renewed vigor to be battle-ready for future elections. This year also sees several important state assembly elections.
PC: PTI
- Of course, the Karnataka victory must have filled the ranks with oxygen, inspiring them to face the challenges ahead. The template used in Karnataka may not produce positive results in other state elections. Far from it, each state will have to be fought on a variety of local factors, and one-size-fits-all calculations will undoubtedly fail. Most importantly, the governance aspect cannot be compromised because astute citizens will quickly see through the lack of development and careless administration. The Indian political landscape is littered with difficult parameters, one of which is the labyrinthine caste equations, which are extremely difficult to decipher even for seasoned parties.
- Striking the right balance while including all critical castes necessitates extensive groundwork. Many political parties would have lost the battle if they had not chosen a specific candidate. Yes, we frequently hear from political parties that the only criterion for selecting a candidate is winnability. In reality, caste considerations are unquestionably important in determining a candidate. In Karnataka, Congress appears to have cracked the code by not only selecting candidates but also winning by a landslide. Furthermore, the five guarantee schemes announced before the election had a significant impact on the electorate. Now, the question is whether the Congress government is on track to deliver.
PC: TNN
- To its credit, the Congress government has not only announced plans to implement the five guarantees but has also begun taking steps to ensure that those promises reach the intended recipients. Many ministers have spoken out about their desire to improve governance in the state, citing the failures of the previous BJP administration. The CM and DCM have gone on record as promising capable administration without corruption impeding delivery of goods. Indeed, revenue generation to ensure the smooth implementation of the guaranteed scheme raises pertinent questions from fiscal experts. However, government officials appear confident in their ability to collect the revenue. Let us see how the Karnataka government responds from now on.
