Until now, the BJP has struggled to strike a chord among voters beyond its traditional support base of Lingayats, upper castes and urban voters.
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 » Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address nearly 20 public meetings over the next 10-days ahead of Karnataka elections, three of which he addresses today. The respective leaderships of the three principal political players in the contest have awaited Narendra Modi‘s entry into the Karnataka poll campaign with anticipation. It has been the only imponderable in an election campaign that has followed a predictable course in the last few weeks.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Hindutva project in Karnataka has run into the wall of deeply entrenched caste loyalties, and the absence of any significant anti-incumbency against the Siddaramaiah government. As things stand, it has again fallen on the shoulders of the PM to rescue his party from a certain defeat, but also to stop the Congress’ march towards the majority mark of 113-seats in the 224-member assembly. The polling is on May 12, and counting of votes on May 15.
Until now, the Bharatiya Janata Party has struggled to strike a chord among voters beyond its traditional support base of Lingayats, upper castes and urban voters. Even among the Lingayats, the Siddaramaiah government’s recommendation to the Centre to grant minority status to the community is likely to eat into the BJP’s vote share, particularly where the Congress has fielded Lingayat candidates. Several of the smaller Lingayat Mathas run educational institutions clearly understand the benefits minority status will accrue to these institutions immediately, and to the community in the long term.
While erroneous, they have conveyed to their followers that the benefits to the community would be similar to what the Scheduled Castes get. The Vokkaligas continue to stand behind HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular), while there are indications that Siddaramaiah’s AHINDA – a Kannada acronym for tribals, dalits, minorities and OBCs, including Kurubas – have found a reason in his government’s social welfare schemes to continue their support to him.
People across all castes agree that BS Yeddyurappa, in terms of social welfare schemes, ran an effective government. But Siddaramaiah government has been more effective in building awareness about its schemes, which came at a crucial time. Some of the regions of the state have faced three successive years of drought.
Even the Lingayats, because of the teachings of their 12th century philosopher Basavanna, aren’t as amenable to the appeal of aggressive Hindutva as in northern India. The question gnawing BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership and rank and file is whether Modi will be able to work his magic in Karnataka.
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