For the Opposition BJP, which is keen to win at least 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka with its ally JD(S), the announcement of poll dates coincided with the formal launch of public campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
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As Mr. Modi is the “trump card” for the BJP in these polls, he is expected to make whirlwind tours to Karnataka in addition to his second visit on March 18 to Shivamogga. The party has already completed the first phase of poll preparations in which the 28 Lok Sabha seats were divided into eight clusters.
The party is set to try out micro-management strategies based on the local geo-cultural trends. It has constituted 35 committees, including those related to organising campaigns, visits of Central leaders, and so on. Former Minister V. Sunil Kumar, State convener of the party’s Election Management Committee, will monitor these.
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Rebel in the fray
However, the party faces an undercurrent of dissidence triggered by some of the prominent aspirants missing out on party ticket. This is threatening to snowball into a challenge for the party, which already suffers from groupism. It is particularly worried about veteran leader K.S. Eshwarappa declaring that he would take on former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghavendra in Shivamogga as an Independent to send a message that the party is in “in the stranglehold” of Mr. Yediyurappa’s family. Sources said that the party would take the help of the Central leadership to pacify Mr. Eshwarappa, who is upset over his son K.E. Kantesh not getting ticket to contest from Haveri.
Though the party hopes to put an end to any public rebellion, local leadership is concerned about the undercurrent of dissidence having its impact on poll performance in a few constituencies. Also, it remains to be seen how the party would deal with the embarrassment of case being filed against octogenarian leader Mr. Yediyurappa under the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Besides, the BJP has the challenge of instilling confidence among party cadre and trust among State leadership, to help overcome the miserable defeat in the previous Assembly elections.
Countering guarantees
It has the tough task of countering the strategy of the Congress government in the State, which is trying to reach out to people through its five poll guarantee schemes that have become popular among poor and lower-middle class. The BJP also has the task of countering the aggressive campaign by Congress government against the Centre, accusing it of meting out injustice to Karnataka in devolution of taxes and Central grants.