After Gujarat, Karnataka is important for both the BJP and the Congress. It’s going to be newly coronated Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Modi-Shah combine to fight it out for supremacy in the ensuing assembly polls in Karnataka. The political scene is heating up with both the parties started working out strategies and Yatra politics has gobbled the real issues facing the state. The political analysts feel that it is going to be testing ground for Rahul Gandhi who has to face Karnataka after Gujarat. The corridor of power is abuzz with anointment of Rahul Gandhi and his role in Karnataka elections which is a testing ground for his leadership.
The ruling Congress led by Siddaramaiah is facing anti incumbency and internal dissent but the infighting in the saffron party has also damaged its image very badly. But after BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit to state to work out an election strategy to make congress Mukth Karnataka, the party has been enthused to take on Siddaramaiah and his appeasement politics.
Meanwhile the poll bound Karnataka is facing theatrics of electioneering ahead of assembly polls. After major opposition BJP and the JDs its now the turn of the ruling congress to start an yatra to counter both the BJP and the JDS which have already on yatras across state to garner votes. BJP strong man and state president of the BJP BS Yeddyurappa has already completed one month in his Parivarthan Yatra traversing across the state and JDs chief HD Kumaraswamy started on Kumara parva in his custom built Karnataka Vikasa Vahini also completed one month appealing to voters to ensure his return to power.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is leading the congress from the front will have two yatras as part of a poll strategy to counter BJP and the JDS to fight anti incumbency of his government. For the ruling congress captained by Siddaramaiah its politics of survival for the party and insiders feel it is also testing ground for Rahul Gandhi who has been anointed unopposed as the congress president.
The Assembly polls in Karnataka is very crucial for the century old party and Rahul Gandhi who has changed his party’s strategy to temple hoping to appease Hindus apart from consolidating the OBC and SC ST votes in the state. For Congress and Siddaramaiah have to prove a point to keep its national identity by retaining power in the state.