The recent assembly election in Karnataka has seen the Congress party achieve a significant victory by winning the majority of seats. However, the BJP has retained its core vote share, managing to maintain its earlier tally of around 36% of votes that they had gained in 2018. The core constituency of the BJP in Karnataka is the Lingayat community, which constitutes around 17-19% of the state’s total population. The BJP’s strategy to pander to the Lingayat community by projecting itself as their representative against the Congress, which was perceived to be working only for the Vokkaliga and minority communities, helped the BJP become a formidable political force in the state.
However, the recent election seems to suggest that the Congress’s campaign strategy that focused on developmental issues has worked against the BJP’s Hindutva trope, which centred around halal and hijab issues. The BJP’s loss in Bengaluru was compensated by its gains in some regions where it increased its vote share at the cost of the JD(S). Overall, the loss of the BJP in all regions was marginal, indicating that it has been successful in retaining its core vote bank.
One major factor that may have contributed to the Congress’s victory is the decision to replace former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa with Basavaraj Bommai as the new Chief Minister. Yediyurappa was a popular figure among the Lingayat community and his removal from the position may have cost the BJP some votes in this crucial constituency. The Congress’s focus on women’s issues and the promise of freebies for women may have also played a significant role in their victory.
However, the question remains whether the Congress will be able to keep their promises and deliver on their campaign promises. It remains to be seen whether the development agenda that the Congress has promised will be implemented effectively and whether the promised freebies for women will materialize.
In conclusion, the recent assembly election in Karnataka has seen the Congress party emerge as the winner, but the BJP has managed to retain its core vote share. The BJP’s strategy of pandering to the Lingayat community has helped it become a formidable political force in the state. The Congress’s focus on developmental issues and women’s issues seems to have worked against the BJP’s Hindutva trope, but it remains to be seen whether the Congress will be able to deliver on its campaign promises.
