Voting is underway for the Karnataka assembly elections, with the BJP, Congress, and JDS vying for power. The BJP, which is hoping for another straight term, is banking on former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s appeal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity to win 130-135 seats. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged people to vote for progress and a “40-per cent-commission-free” state, while the JDS is hoping to hold onto its traditional base in the Old Mysuru region.
Both the BJP and Congress have run high-profile campaigns, with Modi holding 19 public meetings and six roadshows, while Gandhi camped in the state for 12 days. However, the BJP is facing multiple corruption allegations, and to cover all its bases, it tweaked the four percent quota for Muslims, which it hopes will bring in the Lingayat, Vokkaliga, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe votes. This move has been paused by the Supreme Court, which has directed that the Muslim reservation will continue for now.
The Congress, which found itself out of power when the alliance government it ran with Janata Dal Secular chief HD Kumaraswamy collapsed, is hoping to regain power without a second tie-up. However, the party is facing internal rifts, with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party’s state unit chief DK Shivakumar at loggerheads over the distribution of tickets.
Meanwhile, the JDS is facing a crucial election, with party patriarch HD Deve Gowda planning to retire from electoral politics. The party is hoping to expand its base beyond Hassan and Mandya and hold onto its traditional base in the Old Mysuru region.
The election is seen as a triangular contest, and the outcome will depend on several factors, including the performance of the BJP in the wake of corruption allegations and the impact of the Muslim reservation issue. With voting underway, it remains to be seen which party will come out on top and form the next government in Karnataka.
