With barely six months left for the assembly elections and voters in south and central Karnataka still indifferent to the party in what is a traditional stronghold, the BJP is falling back on its familiar saffron agenda. December witnessed a flurry of political activity with party leaders and affiliated Sangh parivar activists pushing the Hindutva narrative in Uttara (north) Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Mysuru.

On December 3, riot police were forced to lathi charge Hindutva activists who turned unruly at the Datta Peetha-Baba Budan Dargah, a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Muslims. Raising communal tensions here has paid rich political dividends for the BJP in the past in Chikkamagaluru district. In Hunsur, the same day, police arrested the BJP's Mysuru MP Prathap Sinha for violating security restrictions around the Hanuma (Hanuman) Jayanthi celebrations. Meanwhile, tension was rife across Uttara Kannada following the death of a BJP man under mysterious circumstances on December 8. Amidst all the trouble, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's belligerent speech in Hubballi attacking Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for supporting beef consumption and staging celebrations for Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary, only fuelled things further.

Analysts say the incidents show that the BJP was intent on driving the Hindutva agenda to its advantage. A fast emerging saffron face in the state, Union MoS for skill development and entrepreneurship Ananth Kumar Hegde, who represents Uttara Kannada in Parliament, has been at his vitriolic best in targeting the Siddaramaiah-led Congress regime. "The Congress will be rooted out of Karnataka. People are fed up," Hegde thundered describing the youth's death on December 8 as "Congress-sponsored terrorism". The minister has been exhorting partymen to court arrest and fill Karnataka's jails in protest.

The BJP is increasingly turning to Hegde as its possible CM candidate in Karnataka. This move comes after former CM and state unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa's Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatre campaign failed to register any significant impact. Cornered by the Congress in the Lingayat versus Veerashaiva conflict, Yeddyurappa is clearly in a spot. Both BJP president Amit Shah's November 3 rally in Bengaluru and Union home minister Rajnath Singh's political meeting on December 17 saw thin crowds and lots of empty chairs.

"The BJP cannot afford to wait anymore," says veteran political analyst A. Veerappa, "its poll campaign issues are not attracting voters. The party hasn't been able to mobilise support in south and central Karnataka." He feels that Yeddyurappa cannot spearhead the BJP campaign. The issue is clearly leading to a rift within the party. And Siddaramaiah knows it. "He (Hegde) speaks the language of goondas, instigating people in the name of religion. He is not fit to be in public life," the CM said in Belagavi during his poll campaign.

Wise to the saffron party's machinations, the ruling Congress is countering the BJP's Hindutva narrative by showcasing the development achieved by the government. On a month-long campaign, Siddaramaiah has described the BJP programme as "empty religious rhetoric". Eyeing a second term, the CM says, "The people of Karnataka are aware of the actual issues. They want the BJP to talk about the Centre's anti-poor, anti-farmer policies. The BJP has forgotten that Karnataka has been at the forefront in the nation in attracting investments."