Karnataka set for battle royale as high-octane poll campaign ends

India

oi-Deepika S

The high-voltage campaigning for the Karnataka Meeting election has lastly come to an finish with all three main political events – Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) – making their last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.

Whereas the ruling BJP has been striving to interrupt the 38-year-old sample of alternating governments and retain its solely southern citadel, Congress is working arduous to wrest energy again from the saffron get together. JDS has put all its may into the campaigning, desirous to emerge because the king, and never kingmaker, by forming authorities by itself.

BJP’s marketing campaign appeared largely depending on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma and ‘double-engine’ authorities, whereas Congress marketing campaign veered round native points. Nevertheless, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra pitched in subsequently.

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On its half, JDS ran a extremely localised marketing campaign, anchored solely by its chief H.D. Kumaraswamy, with get together patriarch Deve Gowda becoming a member of in later regardless of his superior age and associated illnesses.

PM Modi led the BJP marketing campaign with 19 mega public conferences and 6 roadshows, canvassing votes for BJP candidates throughout the State with the ballot slogan ‘Ee Baariya Nirdhara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara’. And going by the large attendance in his rallies, ‘Modi magic’ appears to be working for the get together.

The Prime Minister had visited the State seven instances since January to unveil a number of authorities schemes and initiatives and had addressed quite a few beneficiary conferences. BJP believes that PM Modi’s election rallies will bolster its marketing campaign in a giant means and would assist the get together script historical past within the polls.

Key BJP leaders, together with Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath and J.P. Nadda, have held a complete of 206 public conferences and 90 roadshows, whereas its State leaders have held 231 public conferences and 48 street exhibits.

PM Modi and different BJP leaders turned Opposition barbs at him, like Kharge’s ‘venomous snake’ comment, right into a profitable marketing campaign difficulty to capitalise on public sentiment in the direction of the PM. It is a well-known reality that individuals’s love for Modi goes past electoral politics anyplace within the nation.

Congress promise in its manifesto for a ban on Hindutva outfit Bajrang Dal gave recent ammo to BJP to counter the grand outdated get together by making an attempt to model it ”anti-Hindu” and as in opposition to Bajarangbali, one of many Hindu’s most revered god Hanuman. The transfer appears to have backfired as BJP has efficiently made it a ballot plank.

For Congress, a win in Karnataka could be a morale booster amid a decade-long all-round defeats. It’s key to reviving its fortunes and positioning itself as the principle Opposition participant amongst a plethora of regional claimants forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This election can also be a litmus check for Congress nationwide president Kharge, who hails from Kalaburagi district. Curiously, the get together has set a excessive goal of successful 150 seats. Its central and high State leaders have held 99 public conferences and 33 roadshows until the tip of campaigning.

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The Congress marketing campaign primarily focussed on corruption/scams and the 40 per cent fee cost in opposition to the BJP authorities, coupled with the Adani difficulty. It additionally highlighted its 5 key ballot ‘ensures’ and charged the BJP authorities of getting “failed in fulfilling 90 per cent of its guarantees” made in its 2018 manifesto.

Hit by desertions in addition to inner and household rifts, Kumaraswamy has single-handedly managed the JDS marketing campaign throughout the State, together with his getting older father taking the again seat. The JDS marketing campaign principally focussed on ‘Pancharatna’ that plans to implement upon coming to energy.

It contains high quality schooling, well being care, housing, farmer welfare, and employment. Additionally, Kumaraswamy tried to invoke regional delight and Kannadiga identification in his campaigning, together with points associated to the welfare of farmers and the poor to woo the voters.

Each the nationwide events – BJP and Congress – have accused the JDS because the ‘B-team’ of the opposite, however the regional get together is eyeing to get 35-40 seats to play an important position in authorities formation in case of a hung Meeting.