The Congress is currently leading in 135 seats and is all set to make a return to power in Karnataka after a campaign countering the might of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election machine. The credit for the Congress’s success can be largely attributed to the campaign helmed by the two most powerful leaders of the party, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, who have often been accused of working toward opposite ends. At 2.20 pm on Saturday, May 13, as the results trickled in, the Congress was leading in 135 seats with victory confirmed in 20 seats. The BJP was leading in 65 seats, 10 of which it has won. The JDS won three seats and was leading in 17 others.
The BJP’s campaign featured more than 20 rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who hammered on the twin messages of ‘Double Engine Sarkara’ and Hindutva, which gained traction after the Congress hinted that it would take legal action against groups like the Bajrang Dal if needed. The Congress strategy in Karnataka was evident from the beginning, ensuring that this election centred around state issues. They never strayed from their communications strategy and even ensured that their top leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stuck to this pre-decided theme. They continuously spoke about corruption, increased cost of living, and the skyrocketing LPG cylinder prices.
The Congress’s promise in the manifesto to take legal action against organisations like the Bajrang Dal was misused by the BJP and a false equivalence between Bajrang Dal and Bajrangi (Hanuman) was drawn. The BJP’s campaign was thwarted by the Congress leaders with DK Shivakumar going to the extent of promising to build Hanuman temples.
The BJP’s plethora of Hindutva projects may have placated its core voters, but it has in turn helped the Congress consolidate the Muslim electorate, which is said to constitute around 11-14% of the voting population, in its favour. Traditionally, the Muslim votes are split between the Congress and the JD(S), but this time around most exit polls indicated that the minorities have thrown their weight behind the Congress.
It is safe to say that the Bommai government’s Hindutva push, with right-wing groups leading the way, has not reaped the electoral gains the party hoped for. From the stringent anti-conversion law to the draconian anti-cattle slaughter law, many Hindutva projects were given state sanction and made into a policy. Karnataka also saw the most number of communal incidents under the Bommai government and the state government even dropped over 300 cases of hate speech and crimes.
The central theme of the Congress manifesto was based on five guarantees – Gruha Jyothi scheme promising 200 units of free electricity, Gruha Lakshmi scheme giving Rs 2,000 every month to women head of families, Anna Bhagya which will give 10 kg of food grains to every person in BPL families, Yuva Nidhi which will provide Rs 3,000 per month for two years to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month for two years to unemployed diploma holders, and free travel for all women throughout the state in regular KSRTC/BMTC buses under the Uchita Prayana scheme.
The Congress decision to focus on women voters too may have paid dividends. With more than 1.91 crore women voting in this election, the Congress seems to have made a substantial gain.