Bangalore: BJP win Poses Challenges
DHNS
Bangalore, Dec 31: The BJPs victory in five seats has provided the saffron party the numerical strength to cross the majority mark in the Legislative Assembly on its own. At the same time, the verdict has thrown open several new avenues and challenges. From now on, the BJP will have no excuses when it comes to focusing on developmental issues. Its dependence on independents also has substantially eased.
For the party, the result is the outcome of a carefully worked out political strategy. Firstly, it roped in candidates who enjoyed immense clout in their constituencies. Umesh Katti in Hukkeri and Balachandra Jarkiholi in Arabhavi have the personal potential to win on any party ticket.
Secondly, the party worked on its electoral game plan. Take for instance, Karwar. Close on the heels of the entry of Anand Asnotikar of the Congress into the BJP fold, the party was quick to rope in Ganapati Dumma Ulvekar.
Ulvekar who contested as an independent candidate emerged as the runners-up during the May 2008 election bagging 23.9 per cent votes. His backing proved instrumental to Asnotikar in winning the by-polls. The BJP worked out the combination of party votes, candidates rapport with electorate and supporters to turn into a winning blend least in the five seats.
There were miscalculations too. Fielding Chennigappa in Madhugiri back fired. Chennigappa, who was accused by the BJP in the previous election of being involved in the mining scam was not accepted by the people. People’s memory, after all, cannot be that short.
Though the BJP lost in Turuvekere and Maddur it has made sufficient inroads into these belts traditionally dominated by the Congress and JD(S). In Maddur, for instance, the BJP which had polled 36,967 votes in May 2008, increased its base to 49,923 votes in the by-polls.
The BJP run government also did its best to consolidate its base among backward classes in the run-up to the elections. The decision to declare a holiday on Kanaka Jayathi, for instance, was to gain some political capital.
The verdict has also to some extent boosted the pull of the those BJP leaders behind “Operation lotus- ” - the Reddy brothers, Janardhana and Karunakara, and their confidant Sriramulu. While Janardhana Reddy was incharge of Karwar, Sriramulu was incharge of Devadurga, where BJP candidates emerged victorious. The debacle for them was in Madhugiri, where Chennigappa lost the polls badly.
Meanwhile, with stability under its belt, the BJP top brass is bound to come under pressure from partymen to drop some of the independent ministers and replace them with party legislators. However, according to party insiders, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa is unlikely to take such a risk at a time when Lok Sabha polls is close on the heels.