Karnataka Election 2023: Corruption, caste politics, Tipu Sulan and Modi Wave — know all about deciding factors in Karnataka campaign

Karnataka Election 2023: The campaigning for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Election has ended with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi leaving no stone unturned to prop up their respective party’s chances in the poll.

While the Congress is raising corruption and anti-incumbency as major issues, the BJP is portraying the Congress as a party which fell short of promises on many occasions.

The ruling party also brought the religion element into campaigning and branded the Congress as a party which was against Ram and now opposes ‘Bajrangbali Hanuman’ as well.  

On the other hand, Janata Dal (Secular) believes that its support in the Old Mysore region and influence over Vokkaligas will help it win 30+ seats and become a kingmaker post the elections. It is relying on local issues like health, education, agriculture, irrigation and farmers loan waiver, etc to garner votes.

The presence of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and newcomer AIMIM can dent secular parties’ vote bank.

The ruling BJP seemingly has an edge over others, but no one can be declared a clear winner in the race for the 224 seats in this Assembly election, scheduled to be held on May 10.

All parties are raising their pitches to emerge as a dominant force in the elections. Zee Biz takes you through some major issues.  

Corruption

The "40%" commission slogan by the Congress party made a lot of noise during the campaigning.

The party alleged that in the BJP government, the rate for bribes and under-table dealings is fixed at 40 per cent, including the post of the chief minister, which is up for grabs for Rs 2,500 crore.

The party embroiled itself into a controversy when it published a corruption rate card advertisement describing bribes for every contract and appointment right from a chief minister to a Grade 3 employee.

The Congress alleged that the BJP had looted Rs 15,000 crore in last four years in Karnataka, and rather than being a ‘Double Engine’ government, it was a ‘Trouble Engine’ government.

Citing it as a violation of the election code, the Election Commission of India sent a notice to the Congress, asking it to withdraw the ad.

However, the party is sticking to its stance of attacking the BJP as a corrupt government.  

Religion card

The Congress in its Karnataka polls manifesto vowed to ban Popular Front of India and Bajrang Dal after coming to power.

The BJP lapped it up as an opportunity to attack the Congress, and right from PM Modi to Home Minister Amit Shah to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed the Congress as anti-Hindu, which was attacking the worshippers of 'Bajrangbali’ to appease Muslims.

PM in many of his rallies said that the Congress first attacked Lord Ram and was then against Rambhakta Hanuman.

The religious twist in the elections is most likely to benefit the BJP given it has cashed in on the issue very well.    

Anti-incumbency

The BJP is in power in the state for five years and has fallen short of some promises it has made over the years like job creation.

The Congress has been raising the issue that people are fed up with the BJP’s corruption and they don’t want to see the party back in power.

Modi Factor

The Modi factor is the biggest factor in any election in India.

The Congress was looking in a comfortable position before PM Modi entered the campaigning arena in poll-bound Karnataka.

Modi began campaigning at April-end, and from April 29 to May 7 he appeared in 13 public meetings and road shows.

Modi attacked the Congress incessantly on issues like religion, its poor track record of keeping promises, and corruption, and drew large crowds in his rallies and roadshows.

Even in the Old Mysore region, which is traditionally not a stronghold for the BJP, the PM’s rallies drew huge crowds.

His two-day 20 km roadshow in Bengaluru on May 6 and 7, which had roads full of people on both sides, was enough to prove that Modi becomes the X factor whenever he enters a poll campaign.

Though crowds in rallies are not an indicator that they would convert into votes, the BJP is most likely to benefit from Modi’s presence in the election.      

Caste politics

Castes like Lingayat (17 per cent of Karnataka’s population) and Vokkaliga (15 per cent of Karnataka’s population) are determining factors in the Assembly elections.

While Lingayats traditionally support the BJP, Vokkaligas in the Old Mysuru region lend support to the JD (S) and the Congress.

BJP through reservation is trying to woo both the communities.

In March, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government scrapped 4 per cent reservation of Muslims from Other Backward Classes and moved them to Economically weaker Sections.

The government gave two per cent quota to Lingayats and four per cent to Vokkaligas.

This attempt was made to reaffirm its hold on Lingayats and cut Vokkaligas voters from the JD (S) and the Congress.

The government is also considering the long-standing demand of Scheduled Castes to distribute their quota among Dalit castes.      

Such social engineering is likely to benefit the BJP in the assembly polls.

Karnataka-Maharashtra border row

Maharashtra stakes its claim to 12 tehsils of Belgaum, Kalburgi, Bidar and Karvar districts in Karnataka.

These districts are Marathi-speaking dominated and a legal battle in the Supreme Court is pending.

The BJP-supported government in Maharashtra has extended welfare schemes like Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Aarogya scheme to 865 villages of these districts.

The Maharashtra government’s stance has given ammo to the Congress to portray them as anti-Karnataka party.

The BJP has also replaced a Marathi MLA candidate Anil Benake with a Lingayat, Ravi Patil, on the Belagavi North seat.

This has also angered the Maratha community.

The Congress is trying to cash in on the situation.  

Congress’ social engineering

The Congress is trying to win the support of Scheduled Castes, Kurubas and Vokkaligas through its leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, and DK Shivakumar.

It is also confident of winning Muslim support, which forms 12 per cent population in the state.

Both Congress and the JD (S) are confident of winning support of Vokkaligas.

Support of all these communities can also be a defining factor.

How Tipu Sultan's legacy is being targeted to rouse religious sentiments

The BJP attacks the Congress for celebrating Tipu Sultan Jayanti. On May 6, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in the Virajpet assembly of Karnataka, said that Siddaramaiah and the state Congress chief DK Shivakumar belonged to the Tipu Sultan family and should go to Pakistan to celebrate his birth anniversary.

The BJP has earlier said that the election is between VD Savarkar and Tipu Sultan.

The controvery over Tipu Sultan is a divisive factor in Karnataka politics and both the BJP and the Congress are trying to woo voters through the 18th-century leader.  

Welfare, freebies politics

The Congress has promised monthly stipend to employed graduates, farmers and the families headed by women.

It has also promised wheat and free power if it returns to power.

The BJP lashed out at the Congress saying its promises will lead to ‘fiscal imprudence’ .

The Aam Aadmi Party is promising 300 units of free power, mohalla clinics and better government schools and unemployment allowance.

JD’s (S) HD Kumaraswamy said that his party would give Rs 2 lakh to women who marry a farmer’s son.