The
current scenario in Karnataka political environment is completely focused on
2018 assembly elections. Major parties competing head-on are Congress and BJP.
Janata Dal may be a spoiler for Congress if perform well, which is slightly
expected because of the caste game played by Congress right-now in Karnataka.
If the caste game back fires Congress then its easy win for BJP.
Congress
Strategies:
Congress
has few notable achievements in Karnataka and those are over shadowed by the
controversies like D K Ravi death, Police officer Bande and Ganapathi
death, D K Shivakumar IT raid, etc. And also the too much Muslim appeasement
politics. Congress is forgetting one thing that Muslim votes are no longer
exclusively for Congress. BJP has already penetrated in the vote bank by Triple
Talak discussion. The question is still
on people’s mind, why Congress is hell-bent of Muslim appeasement politics,
despite knowing that the strategy is costing them Hindu votes. After analyzing this Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah has decided to change his strategy for the sake of elections.
The Congress blunders in the
election time:
- Hindi Name Board in Metro Stations, however people given a least attention to it.
- New Kannada Flag: When every one already accepted the Yellow –Red flag, people started discussing why the change?
- Division in Veershaiva Lingayat religion eyeing on the part of the vote bank which is decisive in Karnataka. They did it in 2014-15 by creating “Panchamasali Peetha” and won the part of the votes of Panchamasali caste. Of course Yeddyurappa’s absence costed BJP heavily. Now Lingayat s a separate religion moving out from what believed to be part of Veershaiva. This also back fired and people are rejecting the idea of dividing society on caste basis.
Its advantage BJP in
Karnataka:
Amith
Shah strategy may work in Karnataka under the current circumstances. BJP again
shown that it is right wing party in Karnataka and firmly stood with the Hindu
ideology. Fielding Yeddyurappa an only mass leader in BJP and from a strong
Veershaiva-Lingayat community. Here BJP again stood with the idea of all are
one and opposed further divide in the society.
BJP
tactfully handled the Kannada sentiments and Kannada flag. Here the BJP though
seemed like sulking with these two major issues. But, handled it very well.
BJP
is tactfully playing it on the corruption, political killings, death of
Government officials, denotifications by government, Siddaramaiah Watch issue,
etc.
In
my view BJP has upper hand in Karnataka. Congress has to be more tact-full and
win the hearts of majority community in Karnataka. The decades old tactics won’t
work now as the society is more literate, educated and have access to the global
knowledge. Congress needs to change its strategy to be relevant in India.
