The
Karnataka elections results and the subsequent coming together of Congress-JD(S) to deny BJP coming to power will have ramifications at the national level as well.
The five big messages:
* Congress showed it can do anything to stall BJP, even offer the CM post to a party with half its numbers. This saves it from further political diminution and allows it to remain a key factor in anti-BJP politics. But it comes at a cost, as regional parties will try to ensure Congress remains no more than one among equals
* Moves for a federal front will continue to run in parallel with efforts to rally non-BJP parties around Congress. The focus will first shift to the assembly elections in
Rajasthan, MP and
Chhattisgarh. How the BJP vs Cong fight pans out will impact the line-up for 2019
* BJP's all-or-nothing strategy in fighting elections and forming governments has worked well so far. It hit a bump in Karnataka as Cong moved surprisingly swiftly to seal a deal with JD(S). BJP will have to factor in increased opposition unity but is unlikely to give up its aggressive strategy to dominate the political landscape
* The Cong-JD(S) success will see a charged opposition. BJP can be expected to be equally combative with its increased numbers in RS, making Parliament logjams more frequent and disruptive
* It will be campaign mode from now till the LS elections. Election rhetoric and personalised attacks can be expected to increase as will a scramble for allies big and small. BJP will accelerate its key welfare programmes and opposition will do its best to slow it down
