Karnataka gears up for poll battle as high octane campaign comes to an end

The ruling BJP is trying to retain its southern stronghold (and break the 38-year-old illusion), while the Congress is expected to regain power and give the party some much-needed elbow room and momentum to position itself as the main opposition player. Can be installed as 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Meanwhile, the JD(S) led by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda is hoping to emerge as ‘King’ instead of ‘Kingmaker’ and form the government on its own.

The BJP’s campaign was somewhat ‘centralised’, with an emphasis on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘double engine’ government, national issues and programs or achievements of the central government, which included few from the state.

Congress generally focused on local issues and its campaign was also initially run by its state leaders. However, its central leaders such as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra later joined the campaign.

The JD(S) also launched a highly localized campaign, which was entirely handled by its leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, with party patron Deve Gowda also joining the latter despite his advanced age and associated ailments.

Meanwhile, campaigning for the bypolls to two assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh also came to a halt on Monday. Bypolls will be held in Swar and Chhanbe (SC) on Thursday. With the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party sitting out the polls and the Congress fielding candidates only from scratch, the bypolls are likely to see another contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the Samajwadi Party.

(with inputs from agencies)