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

The high-voltage campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly election has finally come to an end with all three major political parties - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) - making their last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.

While the ruling BJP has been striving to break the 38-year-old pattern of alternating governments and retain its only southern citadel, Congress is working hard to wrest power back from the saffron party. JDS has put all its might into the campaigning, wanting to emerge as the king, and not kingmaker, by forming government on its own.

BJP's campaign seemed largely dependent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and 'double-engine' government, while Congress campaign veered around local issues. However, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra pitched in subsequently.

On its part, JDS ran a highly localised campaign, anchored solely by its leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, with party patriarch Deve Gowda joining in later despite his advanced age and related ailments.

PM Modi led the BJP campaign with 19 mega public meetings and six roadshows, canvassing votes for BJP candidates across the State with the poll slogan 'Ee Baariya Nirdhara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara'. And going by the massive attendance in his rallies, 'Modi magic' seems to be working for the party.

The Prime Minister had visited the State seven times since January to unveil several government schemes and projects and had addressed numerous beneficiary meetings. BJP believes that PM Modi's election rallies will bolster its campaign in a big way and would help the party script history in the polls.

Key BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath and J.P. Nadda, have held a total of 206 public meetings and 90 roadshows, while its State leaders have held 231 public meetings and 48 road shows.

PM Modi and other BJP leaders turned Opposition barbs at him, like Kharge's 'venomous snake' remark, into a successful campaign issue to capitalise on public sentiment towards the PM. It's a well-known fact that people's love for Modi goes beyond electoral politics anywhere in the country.

Congress promise in its manifesto for a ban on Hindutva outfit Bajrang Dal gave fresh ammo to BJP to counter the grand old party by trying to brand it ''anti-Hindu'' and as against Bajarangbali, one of the Hindu's most revered god Hanuman. The move seems to have backfired as BJP has successfully made it a poll plank.

For Congress, a win in Karnataka would be a morale booster amid a decade-long all-round defeats. It is key to reviving its fortunes and positioning itself as the main Opposition player amongst a plethora of regional claimants ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This election is also a litmus test for Congress national president Kharge, who hails from Kalaburagi district. Interestingly, the party has set a high target of winning 150 seats. Its central and top State leaders have held 99 public meetings and 33 roadshows till the end of campaigning.

The Congress campaign mainly focussed on corruption/scams and the 40 per cent commission charge against the BJP government, coupled with the Adani issue. It also highlighted its five key poll 'guarantees' and charged the BJP government of having "failed in fulfilling 90 per cent of its promises" made in its 2018 manifesto.

Hit by desertions as well as internal and family rifts, Kumaraswamy has single-handedly managed the JDS campaign across the State, with his aging father taking the back seat. The JDS campaign mostly focussed on 'Pancharatna' that plans to implement upon coming to power.

It includes quality education, health care, housing, farmer welfare, and employment. Also, Kumaraswamy tried to invoke regional pride and Kannadiga identity in his campaigning, along with issues related to the welfare of farmers and the poor to woo the voters.

Both the national parties - BJP and Congress - have accused the JDS as the 'B-team' of the other, but the regional party is eyeing to get 35-40 seats to play a crucial role in government formation in case of a hung Assembly.