Karnataka battle: What makes politics in the state so interesting

Vibha Sharma

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Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, March 29

Key states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana will go to the polls this year.

However, Karnataka is the most anticipated one, thanks perhaps to the colourful Karnataka politics and prevailing issues.

The Election Commission on Wednesday said the polls to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 10.

The counting of votes will take place on May 13.

The ruling BJP and opposition Congress and JD(S) are the three main players in the state apart from regional parties. While winning the state is critical for all the three it is more so for the Congress and the JD(S) in order to stay relevant in the coming Lok Sabha elections

So what makes the politics in Karnataka so interesting, perhaps the fact that it is the BJP’s first bastion in South India which has so far remained elusive to the mighty election juggernaut of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Karnataka is the first and the only BJP-ruled state in South India.

The party won the state before the emergence of Modi and Shah on the national election scene.

The saffron party emerged a key player in Karnataka in 2004.

Lingayat strongman BS Yediyurappa became its first Chief Minister.

With four terms—2007, 2008, 2018 and 2019—to his credit, he is the only one in the history of Karnataka to have the honour.

Congress

For the Congress, winning these elections is a matter of survival and remaining relevant.

These polls are also a prestige battle for the new Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge who hails from Kalaburagi district.

The party has a strong state leadership with KPCC cheif DK Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, and former CM Siddaramaiah, a Kuruba with strong backing of ‘Alpasankhyataru’ or minorities, ‘Hindulidavaru’ or backward classes and Dalits.

The elevation of Kharge can also help consolidate Dalit votes

the Congress hopes to build a campaign against alleged corruption and “40 per cent commission charges” against the Bommai government

However, while the Congress hopes to snatch the state back from the BJP and make up for the humiliation it suffered when it was unceremoniously thrown out in July 2019, ground reports suggest the grand old party is struggling to get its act together due to internal party politics.

There seems to be a perceptible lack of cohesiveness among top state leaders, especially Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.

Both want to be named as the CM face.

However, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are equally important for the Congress, a reason perhaps the central leadership is apprehensive about naming either of them as the face.

Siddaramaiah is a crowd puller and a good organiser and Shivakumar too is known for his financial and crisis management skills.

Some other senior leaders like G Parameshwara are said to be sulking over being “sidelined”.

Observers say rather than working in tandem, Congress leaders are working against each other.

Speculations are also rife that Shivakumar has struck a deal with JD(S) supremo HD Kumaraswamy for supporting his candidature in case the Congress falls short.

Though Kumaraswamy told media that both the Congress and the BJP have given him “offers”.

BJP

So far as the BJP is concerned, it appears more organised especially after Lingayat strongman Yediyurappa was publicly “assuaged”.

A large section of the Lingayat community was said to be upset over the removal of Yediyurappa as CM.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also among the USPs 

However, apart from the anti-incumbency factor and the alleged corruption charges, members of communities like Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha and Korama are up in the arms over BJP government’s announcing internal reservation in the 17 percent Scheduled Castes quota for around 101 castes.

BJP’s Basavaraj Bommai who is heading Karnataka today claimed the BJP will “definitely win”.

“The election season is here and there is no doubt about BJP single-handedly forming the government in the state,” he was quoted as saying.

Amit Shah has already predicted a “complete majority” for the BJP in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly.

BJP sources claim the party will be able to breach the halfway mark “easily”.

In 2018 the BJP won 104 seats, eight short of the halfway mark of 112.

This resulted in a coalition of Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress forming the government with Kumaraswamy as the CM.

However, the coalition government collapsed in July 2019 following resignations by several Congress and JD(S) lawmakers.

The BJP formed the government with Yediyurappa.

In July 2021, Yediyurappa resigned after crossing the 75-years of age mark, paving the way for Basavaraj Bommai.

Mandya angle

The BJP is working on the Mandya district, considered the bastion of the JD (S).

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is considered the patriarch of Vokkaligas, who dominate the region.

A full majority of its own has been elusive for the BJP in Karnataka, though it managed to cobble governments in 2008 and 2019.

One of the main reasons has been lack of leadership/support from Vokkaligas.

The path to the Karnataka Assembly is through the two dominant communities—Vokkaliga and Lingayat— and the all powerful caste-based spiritual ‘mutts’.

Vokkaliga, Lingayat and BJP

While the BJP is strong in the northern districts where the Lingayat community prevails, the situation is different in southern districts dominated by Vokkaligas.

Another challenge for the BJP is to keep all its factions in good humour ahead of the upcoming elections.

Observers say Vokkaliga leaders in BJP do not have the stature like those from the JD(S).

The community constitutes around 15 per cent of the population in the state.