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Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing an uphill task in multiple Lok Sabha constituencies of the state, thanks to the stripping of party re-nomination for sitting MPs on one hand and denial of tickets to the aspirants. Compared to the panic-like challenging atmosphere in the initial stage, it looks to have become a viable situation following hectic parleys by the party leaders. Subdued feelings galore: On the face of it the party is putting a brave face front and is in a jubilant mood of somehow managing to address the initial bickering in the first round. However, the solace looks like the tip of the iceberg as most of the sitting MPs’ who have been denied a chance to contest once again have gone into a subdued feelings mode. In public, they have been claiming to toe the party lines, but what they are thinking in their innermost mind is not clear even to their close followers and strategy managers. Bidar, a tough proposition: Bhagawanth Khuba, Union Minister of Stat...

                                                                                             Image Source Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Indian National Congress (INC) party government in the state of Karnataka appears to have taken off with a series of bumps, to begin with. Many cabinet ministers, even before their portfolios were announced officially started making pronouncements unbecoming of any responsible authority. Some, in a hurry to hit the headlines, also stooped to make a mockery of themselves. K Venkatesh, Animal Husbandry Minister is the latest bright star in this regard. Why not cows slaughter? Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh hinted at the withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter law in his i...

With the declaration of the 10 May general election results today and the Indian National Congress (INC) sweeping the polls upsetting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s apple cart is another reiteration of the state people’s tendency of repeating the history by packing off the ruling party in the dispensation. Although, the wave for change was candid clear by the writing on the wall but not to such an extent taking the Congress itself a big surprise. Oft repeated tendency: Just a few days prior to the polls no one in the political arena ever wondered about such a mandate but the Congress leaders repeatedly made claims of forming the government on their own. The practice of the state voters disowning the party in power began way back in 1978 and it has continued until this day in every other election but for the midterm poll during 1985. Gateway to South lost: By losing Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost its only bastion in the whole of South India as all other remaining s...

                                                                                         Image Source The much-expected general elections to the Karnataka Assembly slated on Wednesday 10 May is just two days ahead while the possible outcome continues to remain a much-debated topic on all possible public platforms and social networking sites. A forecast of a majority of 17 pre-poll surveys, by and large, favours the Congress party returning to power. The electoral history of the state ever since 1978 has oft registered ousting of the party in power in every election, hinting at the expected results. Anti-incumbency factor remains: Irrespective of the ruling party being national or regional, people...

“Politics make strange bedfellows’, is quite a common phrase to describe odd, unexpected alliances and agreements caused for a shared political interest. These days the literal meaning of such saying can be evinced in the state of Karnataka. Just three weeks remain for the 10 May 2023 general elections to the state Assembly while political scenario continues to remain murkier every passing day with no signs of the situation changing for better. Every day you hear about politicians with a variety of hues embracing some other color, which they had been fighting tooth and nail all along in their political innings. Well, that is the traumatic condition the state polls have stooped to!                                                                             ...

With the formal announcement of general elections to the Karnataka state Assembly by the Election Commission of India on Wednesday last, the tables have been cleared for a free for all among all the three major political contenders in the state. These parties include the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), main opposition Indian National Congress (INC) and the fence sitter, power hungry, king maker turned king regional party Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S). The state will go to polls on a single day on 10th May while the results are slated to be known on 13th May. Preparations from past one year: Maybe, the Election Commission declared the electoral calendar of events on Wednesday, 29th March, but all the formidable rivals have been on a campaigning and preparatory spree since more than a year. The statement holds good to all the major players like the BJP, INC, JD-S. And not to be left behind, the New Delhi based and centered Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is also in the fray making noise every n...

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 re...

DV Sadananda Gowda, former chief minister, former Union minister and Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency MP is confident about the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), returning to power while pooh-poohing talks about the anti-incumbency factor haunting the present dispensation. In a freewheeling chat, he shared his views about the prospects of his party in the ensuing state Assembly elections. Q: According to some pre-poll surveys the opposition Congress party appears to be having an upper hand. What do you say? DV Sadananda Gowda: No, I don’t think so. Making sound systems will not give the result. Of course, they have got a good gang of Congress leaders who can shout at the BJP, who can create some false narratives against the BJP and who can just find fault at the ruling party, which they have not done for a very long period of time. However, people are very well aware of the activities of the BJP for the past several years and especially after Narendra Modi became the Prime Min...

There has been enough systematic and well-orchestrated hype over the much-repeated word Gujarat Model, across the country and more so at the time of any general elections. Just like there are professional big mouths tom-toming the oft-repeated cliche there is no dearth of dissenting voices against the same. But on the ground, it looks like there are no takers for such arguments. Image Source:  Elets News Network Only campaigners or baiters: A tour with journalist friends in the poll-bound industrious state and meeting a variety of people give rise to only two kinds of opinions. Either you hear a vociferous campaign favouring the double engine administration or others baiting both the dispensation. It looks like there is no space for a third or neutral voice. Unimaginable progress over the years: Dr Deepa Nadkarni, a general practitioner based out of Ankleshwar in Bharuch district recollects-“I came to Ankleshwar in 1995 to practice. Then I was carrying my infant kid and the house w...

Jignesh Mevani, a former journalist turned activist, politician, Independent MLA and has evolved into an icon for Dalit youths, activists across the country. As of now, he is witnessing an uphill task in his reserved home constituency Vadgam in Banaskantha district which went to polls on Monday. The former Independent legislator is now an Indian National Congress (INC) candidate. Jignesh Mevani Former sympathizer turns BJP rival: Although Jignesh Mevani got elected as an Independent contestant in the 2017 general elections, he had blessings from the Congress party which supported his candidature by abstaining from fielding its candidate. The former Vadgam Congress MLA Manilal Vaghela was shifted to the neighbouring Idar constituency where he was defeated. However, this time the same Manilal Vaghela who had wholeheartedly extended support has now turned an opponent by being a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate. He quit Congress in November 2021 and joined the BJP in April 2022. Anti...