The ruling BJP has almost given up the fight. But infighting and a lacklustre campaign could cost the Congress dearly

With less than 10 days to go before polling, candidates are hurtling through the last stretch before the finish line in Karnataka's legislative assembly elections. Meanwhile, the tablets and smartphones are already being worked to labour out the likely post-election panorama, not just amongst the lead players in the Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, but also between an acronym masala such as H.D. Kumaraswamy's JD(S), B.S. Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party, the Reddy mining brothers' BSR Congress and the fledgling Loksatta.

The pre-polls surveys predict the simplest of scenarios. The Congress party in Karnataka will rise from its wrecked state (64 seats in 2004, 80 seats in 2008) and inch past a simple majority in the 224-member assembly. That could be a quick and painless outcome for voters who, at long last, will see a chance for a stable government in the state.

For, despite the illusion of stability conveyed by the BJP's 110 seats in 2008, a steady ascent from 44 in 1999 to 79 in 2004, the past five years was blighted by chief ministerial changes (three), an abundance of scandals (too many to count) and several precarious situations that nearly toppled the government. All in all, it was a miracle that the BJP government even lasted its full term after pressing the self-destruct button so frequently.

Yet, despite the ruling BJP as good as giving up on Karnataka, the scenario of a comfortable Congress win is easier predicted than done. The pre-poll surveys preceded and, therefore, do not account for, a peculiar syndrome afflicting the Congress party. For want of a better term, it can be called shooting-oneself-in-the-foot-as-one-approaches-the-victory-line syndrome.

Take candidate selection, for example. The Congress party could have vaulted itself to a 1999-like tally of 130-plus seats had it not botched up the choice of candidates. In Bangalore city alone, a series of wrong picks are enough to make the final tally go horribly awry. A grandson of a former union minister, a brother of a central party functionary, and cronies of two prominent Karnataka Congress leaders have all wormed their way into the final Congress list. In many cases, the party rivals of these gentlemen themselves are working to ensure the candidates' defeat.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Please read our terms of use before posting comments