BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • News
      • Congress Storms Karnataka, BJP's...
      News

      Congress Storms Karnataka, BJP's Double Engine Sarkara Loses Steam

      The Congress rode a wave of anti-governmental sentiment and anti-incumbency to sweep to victory to Karnataka on its own.

      By -  Nivedita Niranjankumar & Mohammed Kudrati
      Published -  13 May 2023 6:28 PM IST
    • Boomlive
      Listen to this Article
      Congress Storms Karnataka, BJPs Double Engine Sarkara Loses Steam

      The Congress has registered a roaring victory over the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karnataka elections, winning a total of 135 seats.

      This victory also means the BJP is not present as a ruling government in any Southern India state, barring an alliance in the Union Territory of Puducherry.

      The double engine sarkara rhetoric of the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have lost momentum in Karnataka with the party facing a massive loss. Numbers show the party has registered wins only in 66 seats.

      At third place is the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)], leading in a 19 seats.

      In addition to the party registering a victory, the two local faces - Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar also saw personal victories from the constituencies they were contesting from. Siddaramaiah, touted to be the next Chief Minister, led from the Varuna constituency with 1,19,816 votes as compared to 73,653 for BJP's V Somanna, according to Election Commission of India numbers. Shivakumar won the Kanakapura assembly with a huge margin of 1,23,270 votes. He garnered 1,43,023 votes compared to the 19,753 of BJP's R Ashok.


      This is truly the victory of the People of Karnataka.

      They have voted for their progressive future, their welfare & social justice.

      With folded hands, we thank them for putting their trust in us.

      Congress party shall implement the 5 guarantees.

      Jai Karnataka! Jai Hind!

      — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 13, 2023


      Current Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai conceded defeat and will be tendering in his resignation by Saturday night. Notably, Bommai won from the Shiggaon constituency by 35,978 votes, defeating Congress leader Pathan Yasir Ahmed Khan.


      ನಾವು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಜನತೆಯ ತೀರ್ಪನ್ನು ಗೌರವದಿಂದ ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ. ನಾವು ನಮ್ಮ ತಪ್ಪುಗಳನ್ನು ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಿಸಿ, ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು, ಪಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಪುನಃ ಸಂಘಟಿಸಿ, ಸಂಸತ್ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯ ವೇಳೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ಪುನರಾಗಮಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ.

      We accept the verdict of people of Karnataka with due respect, we will take this verdict in our…

      — Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) May 13, 2023


      WHAT WORKED FOR THE CONGRESS?

      The Congress win is largely being credited to three leaders of the party - Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar at the local level and Rahul Gandhi at the national level.

      While Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were accused of aiming towards opposite goals, the high anti-incumbency sentiment, well thought out strategies that included freebies, a clear focus on benefits for the female population of the state and talking about local issues helped the Congress decimate the BJP in the Karnataka polls.

      I sincerely thank all our party workers and leaders for leading Congress to victory.

      It is your victory!!

      You have successfully exposed the corruption of BJP & ensured our guarantees reached every house of our state.

      You have laid the path for development in Karnataka!!

      — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 13, 2023

      The Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra turned out to be the cherry on top of the cake for Congress. The Yatra which covered Kanyakumari to Kashmir, spanned a distance of over 500 kilometres in 22 days passing through several districts of Karnataka. The Yatra saw huge crowds walking with Gandhi and witnessed local karyakartas and leaders joining the march including Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar.

      Gandhi in a calculated move, addressed the alleged animosity between the two leaders asking them to be present together and beat the traditional drum. Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi also joined her son in Mandya, receiving huge support from the local leaders.

      I'm invincible

      I'm so confident

      Yeah, I'm unstoppable today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WCfUqpNoIl

      — Congress (@INCIndia) May 13, 2023


      While the Yatra gained great traction for Congress, reports suggest it also brought it together - paving the way for effective communication between the leaders sitting in Delhi, the State level leaders and the grassroot level members and making a dent in the 'dynasty politics' image of the party. Congress MP and communications head, Jairam Ramesh described the Yatra as a "Sanjeevni" for the party, bringing "a new wave of energy" amongst workers and supporters.


      While this is the direct impact of the #BharatJodoYatra in Karnataka, the intangible impact was uniting the party, reviving the cadre and shaping the narrative for the Karnataka elections. It was during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, from the many conversations @RahulGandhi had with the… pic.twitter.com/r1JOWMoei3

      — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 13, 2023


      At the state level, Congress promised several freebies and schemes specifically aimed at women, girls and minorities. One of the most recent was the party's promise to reinstate the the four per cent reservations for minorities after the BJP removed it for Muslims in Karnataka. In addition, Congress also promised to increase the reservation quota for Scheduled Castes from 15 per cent to 17 per cent, for Scheduled Tribes from 3 per cent to 7 per cent and an increase in reservation for the Lingayat, Vokkaliggas and other communities.

      BJP'S "DOUBLE ENGINE" SARKARA DERAILS IN KARNATAKA

      On the other hand, the BJP campaign showed a heavy focus on the party’s top leadership. Similar to the 2018 state elections, the BJP brought out the whole cavalry for the fight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held nearly 25 rallies in the state, with roadshows over two days in the capital of Bengaluru, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed several rallies including four road shows in a single day. Shah in one of the speeches also said that there would be riots in the state if Congress came to power.

      Even Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, often referred to as the star campaigner for the BJP, was called in, for a whirlwind tour to gain voters attention.

      The party unlike Congress, pushed the same two messages in its campaigns - the double engine sarkara and Hindutva politics. The regular phrase of double engine sarkara , which means the same party at the centre and state level, did not convince the state, which has had a history of rejecting incumbent leaders.

      Additionally, the Hindutva politics, while appeasing its core followers, did not sit well with majority of the state. The state saw the passing of several pro Hindutva and anti minority laws including the anti-conversion law, the draconian anti-cattle slaughter law -- effectively turning a major minority vote bank against the party.



      WHO WILL BE THE NEXT KARNATAKA CHIEF MINISTER?

      As the party adjusts itself back to the governing seat in the Vidhana Soudha, it is yet to be seen who the Congress will announce as the chief minister.

      Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told mediapersons that a party meeting will be held on May 13 for the same. But party sources are already throwing in Siddaramaiah's name to wear the chief minister's hat.

      The 75-year-old Siddaramaiah, hailing Mysore, served as the Karnataka chief minister from 2013 to 2018. Considered the party's most popular figure in the state, Siddaramaiah has been credited with reviving the AHINDA base for the Congress. AHINDA is an acronym standing for 'Alpasankhyataru' (Minorities), 'Hindulidavaru' (Backward Classes) and 'Dalitaru' (Dalits) votes or the dalit, OBC and Muslims which form a large part of the votes in Karnataka which has always had strong Dalit leaders including the present party head, Kharge. Siddaramaiah - himself hailing from the Kuruba community - has been a plus for the leader.

      In contrast, DK Shivakumar, who is the Karnataka Congress chief won the hearts of the party leadership for stepping in and steering the ship after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Having faced several raids and arrests, Shivakumar has been applauded for staying strong and loyal to the party and organising a campaign that involved workers at the district and taluk levels.



      Note: This story has been updated with the final vote tally

      Tags

      BJPNarendra Modidk shivakumarKaranataka ElectionsIndian National Congress
      Read Full Article
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!