The alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna could cause a swing of Janata Dal (Secular) voters towards the ruling Congress in Karnataka and may play a spoilsport in the BJP’s hopes of cashing in on the “Modi wave” in constituencies that are going to the polls in North Karnataka on May 7.
Limited influence in NK
The sex scandal that rocked the JD(S) has become a major issue of public debate in the State. Though the JD(S) has no significant presence across North Karnataka, it has a sizable vote bank in pockets of parliamentary constituencies such as Vijayapura, Ballari, Kalaburagi, and Raichur.
Though elections have already been held in the three constituencies where the JD(S) contested, the scandal seems to have severely dented the public image of the party, which has entered into alliance with the BJP.
While elections in the first phase in the State was fought largely on the narrative of “step-motherly treatment” towards Karnataka by the Centre and the Congress government’s guarantees, the women’s safety issue has apparently become a major poll plank in the second phase.
Counter by Congress
After the BJP galvanised its cadre following the brutal murder of student Neha Hiremath on the college campus in Hubballi, the Congress now has a handle in the sexual abuse case to counter the alliance, particularly the BJP, which is contesting against it in 14 constituencies of North Karnataka. The Congress leaders have been using social media, holding press conferences, and staging protests daily across the State to embarrass JD(S) and BJP leaders.
The Congress has questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has launched the flagship programme of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, in an attempt to discredit the BJP’s campaign on “appeasement politics” by the Congress.
‘Women going astray’ remark
Earlier, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s remark of “women going astray” following the implementation of the guarantees had not gone down well with the women voters, and this conduct of a JD(S) leader might add to it.
Sources in the Congress claimed that sexual abuse videos allegedly involving Mr. Prajwal Revanna, grandson of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, is likely to truncate the JD(S) base further in the Old Mysore region, which was significantly captured by the Congress in the 2023 Assembly polls.
Political observers say that the JD(S), which is facing the test of its electoral survival in Karnataka, should come out clean before it can face the next round of elections to urban and rural local bodies in the State.
