Karnataka Election 2023: Will Modi factor help BJP? Siddaramaiah expects Muslims to back Congress

The 75-year-old Leader of Opposition, who reiterated this will be his last electoral battle, said he expects 90 percent of Muslim voters to back the Congress. The ruling BJP is facing strong anti-incumbency.

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday (April 21) said "Modi factor" would not have an impact in the upcoming Assembly polls that is scheduled to be held on May 10 and expects Muslim voters to solidly back his party by opting for tactical voting. 

In an interview with news agency PTI, the former Chief Minister said the polls would be mainly fought on local issues and insisted a victory in the southern state would serve as a stepping stone for the Congress in national politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

The 75-year-old Leader of Opposition, who reiterated this will be his last electoral battle, said he expects 90 percent of Muslim voters to back the Congress. The ruling BJP is facing strong anti-incumbency.

The Congress leader also ruled out any differences with state Congress president and fellow chief minister aspirant DK Shivakumar, even as he asserted anyone can aspire to come to such to posts.

"This election will be fought mainly on local and development issues. We are raising only local issues and development we made during our tenure and during Congress governments earlier. The Modi versus Rahul contest is there at the national level mainly because people are projecting like that, but it is the fight between two ideologies -- communal and secular politics," Siddaramaiah said.

"Modi's visits will not make any impact on the voters of Karnataka, because this is a state election, this is not a national election. The main issues the people are going to consider are local issues and the misrule of the BJP government," the former CM added.

"In Karnataka also it looks Muslims have decided that the Congress party will come back to power, and they have faith in the Congress party and its leadership. Congress is the only party that safeguards the interest of the minorities in the state. More than 90 per cent we are expecting from the Muslim community and Christian community also," he further added.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) accepted the nomination of Congress state president DK Shivakumar for the Kanakapura assembly constituency, clearing way to fight against high-profile BJP candidate and Revenue Minister R Ashoka.

The election in Kanakapura is expected to be one of the most high-voltage contests in the May 10 polls. The results of the election will be announced on May 13.