BJP to focus on curbing internal tussle, promoting govt schemes

In poll-bound Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s bid to retain power in the state will rest on curbing intra-party disputes and hard-selling “pro-people” initiatives of the union government to draw attention away from local issues that can cast a shadow on the party’s performance people aware of the details said.

Though the party is upbeat about the delivery of promises by a “double engine” government, a term the BJP likes to use to indicate that the same party is in power in the state and the Centre, the people, all BJP leaders who asked not to be named, added that it is the Union government’s initiatives that will be the centrepiece of the campaign in the run up to the May 10 election .

Allegations of corruption and irregularities in work related to infrastructure development have emerged as a concern for the BS Bommai-headed government in the state. Last month the Congress went all out to attack the state government for what it said were lapses in public works after the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway was flooded just days after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Flagging the issue, Congress lawmaker DK Suresh tweeted, “Bangalore-Mysore Expressway is a nightmare. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi a week ago, this incomplete highway has become an inconvenience for the people. ₹ 8,500 crore has been spent on this road. Ramnagar and Mandya districts have come to a standstill due to this flooded highway.”

A senior BJP leader said, that while the state government’s work and policies will be part of the election pitch, the delivery of “Modi government schemes” will be a focus area.

“The policies of the state government have resulted in Karnataka becoming a favoured destination for investments. At the Global Investors’ Meet in 2022, MoUs were signed for an investment of ₹9.8 lakh crore that is expected to generate 6 lakh jobs, but the party will advertise how the policies such as the Kisan Nidhi helped nearly 54 lakh farmers and the [Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan] Anna Yojana, has benefitted 4.34 crore (43.4 million) people from every section (in the state),” the leader added.

The party gained electoral support from beneficiaries of central schemes in other state elections such as the recently concluded polls in three states in the North Eastern region, and in Karnataka too, it plans to reach out to the beneficiaries including the 34.66 lakh (3.466 million) households who provided low-cost cooking gas under the Ujjwala Scheme. “More than 27 lakh (2.7 million) people have availed free medical treatment at a cost of ₹4,043 crore under Ayushman Bharat (the government’s health insurance scheme),” the leader said.

Given the outcome of the 2018 polls, when the BJP emerged the single-largest party, but could not muster the requisite numbers to form the government, the party is focused on ensuring that this time it crosses the halfway mark of 112.

To this end, the party high command is learnt to have issued a terse message to the state leaders to follow the instructions vis-a-vis the party’s narrative, burying internal differences to put up a joint front against the Congress, a formidable challenger. “Sangthan (organisation) is a big advantage for the BJP unlike the Congress. There is a vast network of booth workers, leaders across castes and regions and the unchallengeable leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The Congress is a divided house with many claimants to the top post. Being a disciplined party, we have asked our leaders not to work at cross purposes,” said a second BJP leader who is based in Delhi.

The leader said in 2018, the party’s performance was largely attributed to the state leaders scotching internal differences ahead of the election. “Once the issue of leadership was decided, the leaders put their lot behind [BS] Yediyurappa. And just as it was done then, this time too, the party has balanced regional and caste aspirations and leaders such as CT Ravi, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Sobha Karandlaje, and B Sriramulu have been given responsibilities to ensure the party breaks the previous record.”

Still, the party’s list of candidates this time has been delayed primarily on account of these differences.

The central leadership has also stepped in to check Ravi, a national general secretary and MLA for commenting on Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra’s candidature. After Ravi said Vijendra was not an “automatic choice” from Shikharipura and that “the decision on candidates will not be taken in anyone’s kitchen”, union home minister Amit Shah accepting a bouquet from Vijayendra at the former CM’s residence was seen as a nod to his candidacy from the preferred seat.

In 2018, while the party leadership’s approval for Yediyurappa was evident, the central leadership stepped in to ensure that other senior leaders such as the late Ananth Kumar and Sadananda Gowda who were then in the union cabinet were involved in the election process.

To a question on whether the party’s reliance on the central leadership and the schemes will overcome anti- incumbency, especially when the Congress and the JDS have dragged local issues mainly corruption into the spotlight, the second leader said, “In 2013 we won 40 seats. Political analysts said there is no traction for Modi in Karnataka and the BJP has slim chances of returning to power, but the results were different.”

The delivery of schemes and the recent rejig in the quotas for various castes will help the BJP buck the trend of incumbent governments not getting re-elected, this person added. “In last three decades there has been a trend of governments being changed every five years. But we are confident of returning with a bigger mandate.”