Karnataka Assembly Elections: Issues and Challenges before BJP

Karnataka state, the only state in the whole of South India boasting of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on its own is all set for general elections before May 2023 as the tenure of the present and 15th Assembly is scheduled to be over on 24 May 2023. The present predicament haunting the ruling party in the state and centre is whether it will be able to retain the lone bastion below the Vindhya mountainous range.

No majority in elections so far: An interesting feature of the ruling BJP is that in all the 2004, 2008 and 2013 Assembly elections it never emerged as the single largest party to walk straightly into the corridors of power. It has always been under the mercy, whims and fancies of the regional outfit Janata Dal-Secular (JDS), dubbed locally as the Father and Children’s now Grandchildren’s party to grab power. Likewise, even in 2018 also BJP failed to make it on its own thus paving way for a Janata Dal-Secular party-led and Indian National Congress (INC) supported regime under HD Kumarswamy. In July 2019 BS Yediyurappa, former chief minister three times earlier became the CM for the fourth time by defecting 14 Congress and three JDS MLAs’. He was unseated on 28 July 2021, later enabling Basavaraj Bommai, the current incumbent to take over.

Anti-incumbency factor: Ever since 1978 people of the state have adhered to the policy of ousting the party in power while the opposition parties have become the beneficiaries with ease. At the same time and from 2004 onwards the state has also been evincing a split verdict and thereby leading to a hung Assembly. And on all these occasions the JDS with mere 30-40 seats in a house with a total strength of 224 has become a King rather than a Kingmaker. This time around just like many a time earlier it has soured relations with both, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress. As they keep saying “Politics make strange bedfellows’, nothing can be ruled out post-elections and in the event of a hung Assembly being repeated again. But the anti-incumbency factor is bound to drive the ruling party perplexed.

A series of scams become opposition ammunition: The state ruling party has contributed enough mess in its present tenure, thus evolving them to develop as scams by the opposition parties and thereby making them as suitable political ammunition to be fired on public platforms. The arrest of Srikrishna, an international hacker in Bengaluru in November 2020 made the opposition raise a hue and cry against the present dispensation. He and his associates have been charged with stealing Rs 11.5 crores from the Karnataka Government’s e-procurement portal. The Congress stirred a controversy alleging several people in high positions shielded the accused. However, the accused has been released on bail in April 2021 in connection with four cases.

PSI Recruitment Scam: More than 100 people including Amrit Paul, ADGP have been arrested so far in connection with the Police Sub Inspector (PSI) examination held on 03 October 2021. The issue has generated enough heat on the electronic media through noisy debates aptly fuelled by the opposition leaders. Both, opposition and ruling party leaders continue to hurl abuses against one another over the issue and let there be no doubt about the same continuing during the poll meetings as well.

Reservation controversy continues: According to a separate minority status to the Veerashiva-Lingayat community became a bone of contention during the 2018 polls which was also portrayed as one of the major issues responsible for the drubbing of the then-ruling party, Congress. Luckily then it was only the Veerashiva-Lingayats along. Though enough water has flown from the Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu since then, there has been no change in the situation as the Union Home Ministry continues to pretend of dozing off over the matter. But these days, the Panchamashalis, a peasant sub-sect of the Veerashiva-Lingayats have been in an agitation mood demanding reservation under the 2 A category.

Every community wants reservations hiked: The Basavaraj Bommai government initially tried to underplay the reservation agitation and attempts were made to bring a rift among the concerned pontiffs. However, the movement keeps continuing and the state government’s measure of pacifying both, the Veerashiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas, the strong non-vegetarian peasant class of the old Mysuru region by hiking the reservation quota misfired. Karnataka high court has ordered status quo preventing the government from going ahead with enhanced reservation proportions. Kurubas, the single largest Other Backward Class (OBC) community is demanding the ST tag and so are the different sections of the society like Kshatriyas, and Reddys’ among many a other.

Rebellion of MLAs’: The defection of 14 Congress and three JDS MLAs’ is bound to become another poll issue in their respective constituencies. But for AH Vishwanath, former state JDS president who was humbled in his Hunsur constituency in Mysuru district, most of the others managed to swim against the tide in the subsequent elections. Both Congress and JDS leaders are sharpening their political weapons to teach the party deserters a big lesson, if possible.

Sex CD racket tainted Ramesh Jharkiholi: Belagavi district politics is riddled with politicians cum sugar factory owners, irrespective of the parties. Among the notables are the Jarkiholi brothers Ramesh, Satish and Balachandra. Satish is the state Congress Working President while Ramesh lost his minister position, thanks to the sex CD racket. He did everything to return to the cabinet in vain. Anyway, he has become infamous over the CD case in the district and the issue is expected to have its own impact on the district outcome.

Tussle for CM’s post continues: From a public perspective both, KPCC President DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, leader of the opposition in the state Assembly give a united pose by raising hands together. These days, the fact that both of them continue to nurture their fond dreams of getting the coveted CM’s post is no longer a public secret too. Siddaramaiah’s ploy of ensuring the defeat of Dr G Parameshwara, former KPCC President in his native Koratagere constituency of Tumakuru district in the 2018 elections has spread across the state by the word of mouth. So, the Dalits' strategy to defeat Siddaramaiah from wherever he contests has also spread like wildfire.

JDS dreams of becoming a King again: Meanwhile HD Kumaraswamy, twice chief minister, thanks to BJP and Congress is again daydreaming of becoming one for the third time as a handful of his legislators are already on the path of deserting the party.



-Manohar Yadavatti