LS polls: In Karnataka, BJP faces stiffest challenge from Congress in 25 years

For the first time in a long time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing real heat from the ruling Congress in Karnataka as both parties battle it out to finish on top of the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

After closing ranks and overpowering the BJP in Assembly elections last year, the Congress has posed a united and spirited challenge against the BJP in a Lok Sabha contest in a manner not seen since 1999.

1999 feat

That was when the Congress, led by SM Krishna, pulled off what was widely seen as an impossible task by bagging 18 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats, leaving just eight to the BJP, which then ruled the country.

Since then, it has been a downslide for the Congress in parliamentary elections in Karnataka. It won eight Lok Sabha seats in 2004, six in 2009, nine in 2014 and a miserable one in 2019.

Confident Congress

Both political commentators as well as Congress insiders say the party has now mounted a concentrated and serious challenge that has virtually unnerved the BJP as the state prepares to elect 28 Lok Sabha members.

It was the BJP’s sweep of 25 seats in Karnataka five years ago that majorly helped Narendra Modi’s BJP to cross the 300-seat mark nationally and form a government for a second five-year term.

Aggressive fight

Congress leaders are confident that they will definitely defeat the BJP this time even if they are not able to puncture it.

"It seems the Congress is fighting aggressively in the parliamentary elections, similar to the Assembly elections, a phenomenon not seen in Karnataka politics for 25 years,” political researcher and analyst Professor A Narayana told The Federal.

Unity at top

“Despite their differences, (chief minister) Siddaramaiah and (his deputy) DK Shivakumar fought together in the Assembly elections and are doing the same now,” he added.

According to him, the Congress, under a joint leadership, is countering the usually aggressive BJP in two ways.

Financial bias

On the one hand, the Congress has unleashed an emotive and virulent attack on what it says is the Modi government's discriminatory attitude towards Karnataka, including on fund allocation and tax devolution.

The Siddaramaiah government has worked hard to expose this as a team. Karnataka revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda has diligently exposed the Centre’s bias.

Welfare schemes

On the other hand, the state government is seriously implementing its welfare to connect with the mass of people.

“The Congress is working with a sense of ownership in this election, which is not easy within the party," Narayana said.

Targeting Vokkaligas

Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who also heads the Karnataka Congress, have also refrained from making controversial statements unlike in the past.

Siddaramaiah continues to play the role as a mass leader for the AHINDA social grouping while Shivakumar has targeted the Vokkaliga community to which he belongs.

The Congress strategy might help it in the Old Mysuru region, which is home to nine Lok Sabha constituencies and is the Vokkaliga heartland.

Family ties

As many as nine Lok Sabha candidates from the Congress are relatives of top party leaders, mostly ministers.

One is the son-in-law of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a brother of Shivakumar, a sister of minister Madhu Bangarappa, the daughter of minister Ramalinga Reddy, a son of minister Eshwar Khandre, the wife of minister SS Mallikarjuna, a daughter of minister Shivanand Patil, a son of minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, and the daughter of minister Satish Jarkiholi.

Congress sources say this is a strategic move.

Election resources

Now, the ministers who are relatives of these candidates have to work hard to ensure that their kin get elected. This might also solve the problem of mobilizing financial resources, a minister told The Federal.

"Most of these ministers are district in-charges and they are tasked with working for the candidate's victory. Earlier, ministers and district in-charge ministers were not actively involved in supporting the Lok Sabha nominees," the minister said.

The unusual Congress aggression has proved to be a huge headache for the BJP.