Dining with Dalits, staying with widows, living in villages: Poll plan of Karnataka parties

The BJP, Congress and JD(S) have devised new ways of appeasement to paint a picture of inclusiveness ahead of the 2018 assembly election

With assembly elections less than a year away, political parties in Karnataka have devised new methods to appease the people of the state. While the welfare schemes, rallies and promises are inevitable election moves, the BJP, the Congress as well as the JD(S) have chosen target voters and are in the process of wooing them.

Congress' 'widow' route to woo women voters

The current in-charge general secretary for Karnataka, K C Venugopal is moving with striking accuracy in identifying target voter base. While he managed to keep the Dalits happy with letting G Parameshwar continue as the KPCC president, he is said to have now asked women ticket aspirants to reside with widows. The move is aimed at wooing women voters and sending out a message that marginalised women of the society will be a priority for the Congress.

The move is also being looked at as a counter to BJP's 'meet and eat' with Dalit families across the state. Women ticket aspirants in the Congress have been 'advised' to eat and stay with widowed women across the state to be considered for candidature. Women power and definitely their votes are something that the Congress wants to harness in the upcoming assembly elections.

BJP's 'meet and eat' with Dalits

The BJP led by its state President B S Yeddyurappa is on a statewide 'connecting with the people' campaign. The larger aim of the BJP with the campaign is to break free from the anti-Dalit image. It is not without reason that B S Yeddyurappa is visiting Dalit colonies and homes across the state. When controversy broke out over hotel food being served at Dalit homes for a photo op, Yeddyurappa made it a point to ensure that his breakfast and lunch meet with Dalit families reach the people.

So much so that when the Congress accused Yeddyurappa of getting people from the upper caste to cook at Dalit homes and serve the same, the BJP made a Dalit woman cook and serve food to party leaders including Yeddyurappa in Ballari in front of the camera. With the food diplomacy, BJP hopes to win Dalit hearts and votes in the 2018 elections.

JD(S) believes in going back to the roots

State President of the Janata Dal (Secular) has decided to make rural population his priority. Kumaraswamy will tour the state and stay overnight at villages as one among the people. While this is not the first time that Kumaraswamy has chosen to travel and live in villages, this time, the focus will also be on North Karnataka. Pushing the party's pro-farmer agenda forward, Kumaraswamy will stay in villages across the state to send out the message that farmers are their priority. With Congress making women their pick and BJP attempting to woo Dalits, Kumaraswamy and the JD(S) will turn to farmers who have suffered consequent losses due to drought.

With the Congress appointing S R Patil as the working President of the party for North Karnataka and B S Yeddyurappa's popularity in the region especially among Lingayats, JD(S) hopes to garner some support from the farmers through Kumaraswamy's village stays.

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