The BJP’s impressive performance in Maharashtra and its victory in Haryana have increased the morale in the party’s Karnataka unit, which is focussing on strengthening its organisation in a bid to return to power. The BJP central unit has indicated that Karnataka will now be its focus area.
The BJP think tank believes that losing in two States may weaken the high command and lead to friction between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and veteran Congress leaders. It also hopes that this will open up political opportunities in Karnataka. However, senior BJP leaders believe that the impact of the Maharashtra polls in Karnataka may not be immediate as the State Assembly elections are still far away. “But, we are set to politically cash in as and when differences in the Congress government, and its failures come to the fore,” sources noted.
The BJP Karnataka unit had co-ordinated with its Maharashtra counterpart in drawing up campaign strategies and it also sent three teams for campaigning. While a team from its IT & Communications Cell helped plan the social media campaign in the IT region of Pune, the other two teams focussed on areas with a strong presence of people from Karnataka’s coastal region, and in border areas with a sizeable number of people from the State.
State leaders, including national vice-president B.S. Yeddyurappa campaigned in border areas, while Union Minister Ananth Kumar and State general secretary C.T. Ravi camped there to monitor the campaign.
