- The entire country must be anticipating with bated breath what the Karnataka voters’ choice will be in choosing their political party to govern them for five years. As the recent trend suggests, none of the incumbent governments in power have returned to administration, even though efforts to tame the anti-incumbency factor were too apparent. Despite the present government’s strenuous attempts to urge voters to vote again, the major political parties were humiliated by the electorate. Is it going to be any different this time around since the three major political parties have mounted an all-out election campaign while seeking the blessings of the people?
PC: IND Today News Desk
- Highly unlikely is what the political undercurrent prevailing across the state showcases. In hindsight, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party state leadership must be ruminating about the potential prospects of what could have been an impressive situation if only the administration acted and delivered with diligence on expected lines. The allegations of corruption have singed the ruling dispensation, even though the leadership attempts to brush aside the murmurs of disenchantment amongst the common citizens. Mind you, the BJP leadership—both at the central and state levels—never misses an opportunity to highlight the benefits of having a double-engine government to speed up development-related activities around the state.
- It’s another matter altogether whether those proclaimed benefits have succeeded in reaching the last man standing. Employment and job opportunities, rising prices, communal polarization, and the law and order situation are the commonest concerns for the citizens. From any angle, these issues are indeed troubling common citizens, despite the authority’s claims that everything is under control. The high-voltage election campaigns of the three major parties—the BJP, Congress, and the JD(S)—have left no stone unturned in doling out promises and assurances interspersed with guarantees. The political leaders have gleefully indulged in a narration that has often turned nasty and personal, as well as cringeworthy at times.
PC: A Sanesh
- No less than Prime Minister Modi himself has personally led the campaign through extensive roadshows, including the recent one in Bengaluru. Will those showstopping extravaganzas help the BJP return to power? The PM’s personal appeal, popularity, and acceptability among the citizens are unparalleled. His last-minute high-voltage electioneering is bound to leave undecided voters firming up their choices. However, local issues always tend to sway voters when choosing their representatives. As such, the ruling BJP will be tentative, not knowing what the eventual outcome will be. Congress, on the other hand, appears quite confident, for the general mood across the state appears to be favoring them. No clear majority for any party appears to be in the offing.
