Karnataka Election 2023: Stage set for mega battle on May 10
Karnataka Election 2023: The stage is set for mega battle.With the stakes being high this election, the major political parties in contention -- the BJP, Congress and JD(S) -- and their candidates have made a strong pitch seeking to boost their prospects at the hustings.
FollowThe curtain came down on the high-decibel campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly elections on Monday, setting the stage for the major vote fight on May 10. With the stakes so high this year, the major political parties in contention – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and JD(S) – and their candidates have made a strong push in an attempt to increase their prospects at the polls.
In the heat of the campaign, there were instances of leaders breaching the boundary of public speech and engaging in personal assaults and abuses against one another.The leaders of all major political parties have been on a campaign blitz around the state in recent days.
While the governing BJP seeks to break the 38-year-old curse and retain its southern stronghold, the Congress seeks to seize power in order to provide the party much-needed breathing room and momentum in order to position itself as the main Opposition force in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Also, the JD(S), led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, was observed campaigning with zeal, wishing to be known as "King" rather than "Kingmaker," and aiming to get enough votes to establish a government on its own.
"A government with a full majority" appeared to be the popular slogan for the leaders of all political parties during the campaign for the 224-member Assembly elections, as they emphasised the need of obtaining a clear mandate to build a strong and stable administration in the state.
The BJP's campaign appeared to be heavily "centralised," with the emphasis being on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the "double-engine" administration, national concerns and plans, or successes of the union government, with only a handful from the state.
The Congress, for the most part, concentrated on local concerns, and its campaign was first led by state officials. However, its core leaders, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, intervened afterwards.
JD(S) also waged a very localised campaign, led exclusively by its leader H D Kumaraswamy, with party patriarch Deve Gowda subsequently stepping in despite his senior age and associated infirmities.
Since April 29, PM Modi has launched a significant campaign push, addressing 19 huge public meetings and six roadshows around the state, soliciting votes for BJP candidates under the poll slogan 'Ee Baariya Nirdhara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara' (This Time's Decision: Majority BJP Government). Modi had visited the state seven times since January to introduce major government initiatives and projects, and had attended countless beneficiary meetings, prior to the declaration of elections on March 29.
According to BJP insiders, Modi's election rallies boosted the party's campaign significantly and would help the party write history in the polls.According to the party, BJP national leaders have held 206 public meetings and 90 roadshows, while state leaders have held 231 public meetings and 48 roadshows.
Taking power from the BJP would be a morale booster for the Congress, as well as the key to recovering its electoral fortunes and boosting its credentials as the primary opposition actor against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The brother-sister team went extensively throughout the state, attacking the BJP's campaign apparatus lead by Modi, disputing and challenging him on a variety of topics, most notably corruption, while pledging to give a better choice for Karnataka. On Saturday, their mother, former AICC president Sonia Gandhi, spoke at a party gathering in Hubballi. The party has held 99 public meetings and 33 road shows by its top state and central leaders.
It hopes to gain momentum in Karnataka by defeating the BJP's battle-ready electoral apparatus later this year in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.
(With PTI inputs)
