For a party that had just two members in 1985, the BJP has emerged just three short of forming a government in Karnataka. The BJP won four seats in 1989, 40 in 1994, 44 in 1999, 79 in 2004 and 110 in the latest election.
The JD (S) that betrayed the BJP was swept away on its path to oblivion with just 28 seats. The JD (S) is lead by a bunch of thugs and disreputable people which includes Deva Gowda, who managed to become India’s PM for a few years and his two sons, Revanna who is a goonda and Kumaraswamy, who is OK, but looks the other way regarding his father’s and brother’s activities and tactics. The Indian National Congress (INC) fared better than the previous election winning 80 seats as opposed to 65 previously. The Communist Party did not win a single seat! Karnatakan’s are smart!
What we see here is a consolidation towards the two National parties, with support for the regional party JD (S) shrinking. The BJP needs three independents to obtain the 113 members to form the government. There are six independent candidates up for grabs; the King makers in this election. If the INC and JD (S) join hands again and get five independents to support them, we could see a throw back to the original coalition that took place after the last election. It would be a sad state of affairs if that were to happen. The JD (S) lacks character and is willing to prostitute itself. The independents could be bought. The question then is whether the INC will pimp itself to power just to thwart BJP’s aspiration.
Someone mentioned that yesterday Dev Gowda admitted defeat and is willing to sit in the opposition and today he is sending feelers to the INC to join hands to form a government. That is Dev Gowda for you. If he didn’t flip flop or morph in pursuit of power, it would be out of character for him.
The phenomenal rise of the BJP can be attributed to their focus on progress, anti-terrorism, tailoring their messages to the issues facing each constituency and their phenomenal volunteer organization. The recent bomb blasts in Jaipur, Hubli and the arrest of a terrorist suspect in Belgaum, helped them. And they gained mileage by blaming the UPA for the 7+% inflation rate the country is experiencing.
The INC on the other hand, stuck to its age old tactics of divisive politics under the garb of secularism by pandering to the Muslims and minorities, promising color TVs to the people with Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards, plying people with liquor prior to the elections and claiming to be the benefactor of the poor. Karnataka is a prosperous State, with natural resources (iron ore, manganese), rich soil, thriving horticulture (cashew, coconuts, tea, coffee, aracanut, too much sugarcane), and industry. Except for a small region in the Northeast, you don’t see abject poverty in Karnataka. And if you do, chances are they are migrants from another state. Jobs is foremost in people's minds, especially with the youth. A newspaper columnist in the Hindu, which typically leans towards the Congress wrote, "a dysfunctional, unexciting, unexacting, non-congenial working environment" was one of the factors that led to INC’s inability to perform and gain majority. Karnataka used to be a stronghold for the INC. The older generation voted, and continues to vote for the INC. The younger generation is not enamoured by the Nehru/Indira Gandhi legacy. Rahul Gandhi is seen more as a celebrity mascot in the South, than a serious political figure. The aura is gone the lustre has faded. While there always will be people who expect and want handouts, what people really want is performance not promises.
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