Voters of Karnataka will decide which party will rule them for the next five years, on May 12 this year.
The BJP under B.S. Yeddyurappa is aiming to firm up its label as a pan-Indian party by winning a State election in the South, a region where it is not ruling now.
The Congress under Chief Minister Siddramaiah is seeking a mandate for another five years. The grand old party is reduced to just three States now - Karnataka, Punjab, and Puducherry.
An upbeat BJP, that is ruling 22 states (both on its own and as alliance partner) is campaigning on the planks of development and highlighted the "lawlessness" in the State among others.
The Congress on the other hand banks on the report card of the 5-year rule, it's welfare measures and "Kannada identity."
The Karnataka elections are not a two-way contest. There is a key regional player, the Janta Dal (Secular), a party that has given two Chief Ministers. It has already firmed up an alliance with BSP and the AIMIM and hopes to form a government on its own. In case of a hung verdict, the support of JD(S) would become crucial as the party has a history of being in alliance with both Congress and the BJP.
Here are five key issues at play:
Murder of rationalists:
While the BJP calls the murders of rationalists MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh and right-wing activists in the State as examples of "lawlessness" in the States, the Congress blames the former and its so-called divisive Hindutva politics for these killings.
Kannada identity:
Kannada identity has also become a core issue with the Siddaramaiah government creating a separate flag for the State, giving prominence to the Kannada language and culture and the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues repeatedly speaking against Hindi imposition.
Lingayats and Veerashaivas:
The Karnataka government recently accepted a proposal to grant the Lingayats and Veerashaivas the religious minority status, thus breaking them away from Hinduism. The proposal, which the BJP calls "divisive" and done with an eye on votes, is pending with the Centre.
Water crisis:
Karnataka is reeling under water crisis. It is at loggerheads with its neighbours over river water sharing, the significant one being Cauvery in the South and Mahadayi in the northern region. Both parties are keeping their cards close.
Corruption:
Then there is the issue of corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in one of the rallies called the Congress government "10 per cent commission sarkar". The Congress has mocked BJP asking what moral standing the party has to speak on corruption when their CM candidate has faced corruption charges.
