WINNING KARNATAKA IS central to the BJP’s plans to make deeper inroads into the south. The saffron party tasted power for the first time in south India in 2008, when B.S. Yediyurappa formed the government in Karnataka, despite falling short of a majority. While a clear majority has been evading the BJP in the assembly polls, it has broken the Congress monopoly in the state and paved the way for alternatives (coalition government). Another significant shift has been the BJP emerging as the preferred party in Parliament elections. Since 2004, when the party bagged 18 of 28 seats, the Congress has been reduced to single-digit results. In 2019, the BJP won 25 seats with a vote share of 52 per cent. The Congress was reduced to just one seat with a vote share of 31.3 per cent, despite its alliance with the JD(S). This time, the BJP has struck an alliance with the JD(S), leaving three seats to its partner.
Last year, the Congress had dethroned the BJP in the assembly polls, winning 135 of 224 seats. The BJP lost even its traditional bastions in the North and Central Karnataka Lingayat belt, while the JD(S) was routed in the Old Mysuru Vokkaliga heartland, which had always backed the regional party. While the Lingayats were unhappy with the BJP about the ouster of Yediyurappa, the Vokkaligas chose the Congress, expecting to see fellow Vokkaliga D.K. Shivakumar as chief minister. It remains to be seen if the same caste considerations would be at play this time as Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra has been made state chief of the BJP, while Shivakumar continues to be locked in a leadership tussle with Chief Minister and Kuruba strongman Siddaramaiah. The possibility of Shivakumar replacing Siddaramaiah after the polls continues to be a talking point.
この記事は THE WEEK India の April 28, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は THE WEEK India の April 28, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Stop ruling; start governing
In every election the voters elect a government.
HEALING THE EARTH
Land Restoration for a Drought-Resilient Future
Speak of the nawab
For Heeramandi's male lead, Taha Shah, the road to success was paved with flops
Northern delights
Four Kashmiri fashion labels that want to put the troubled region on the international style map
WOOING THE WAVES
India is developing strategic ports overseas and is exploring new oceanic trade routes to pursue its growing geopolitical objectives
TIPU, SULTAN!
In his first major election after the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh humbles the BJP and proves he is his own man
A SLEEPER HIT
Naidu’s stunning victory raises questions about the vote-catching power of welfare schemes
SWEEPING LOSS
AAP’s disappointing performance has put a question mark on its relevance in the INDIA bloc
INDEPENDENTS' DAY
The Lok Sabha results in Baramulla and Ladakh reflect a churning among voters
Voters have changed, and we have benefited
In March 2022, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu asked a quirky question to actor-MP Suresh Gopi, who had come to the Rajya Sabha with a distinctive look.
