Yeddyurappa, a fiery leader believed to be the source of the Lingayats’ support for the BJP, has been criss-crossing the state to campaign for the party.
Even in the former CM’s own village, people are getting ready to vote on caste lines, which means the BJP will have to work hard to win over non-Lingayats.
The Lingayats have traditionally voted for a leader and not a party. A chief ministerial aspirant from their community would make them vote for that party.
The PM is trying to downplay Siddaramaiah’s popularity by making it a Modi vs Rahul battle. If the BJP wins, it will be seen as his victory over Rahul.
The CBI had, in November, said it could not take forward the probe into the mining scam. But in March, Siddaramaiah announced an SIT to continue the probe.
The head priest of the Shiva shrine is a Veerashaiva-Lingayat, and the BJP hopes Modi's visit to the temple before launching his Karnataka campaign will help win the hearts of Lingayats.
Many of the 154 candidates declared in the first two lists were ministers & MLAs when BJP won Karnataka in 2008, but also face criminal & corruption charges.
The issue of inequality has assumed the blazing limelight at a time when inequality in India is said to be higher than it was in the British Raj. It's a ripe situation for half-truths and incendiary statements.
Speaking at launch of economist Surjit Bhalla’s book, S Jaishankar also highlights Gen Z’s engagement with ‘reel culture’, which has 'promoted awareness, created interest in many subjects'.
Germany’s erstwhile Christian Democratic Union govt, led by Angela Merkel, prevented sale of small arms to police forces in states they perceived had ‘bad human rights record’.
A theme has not yet emerged for BJP & people see lack of a contest, which makes it unexciting. For all these reasons, 2024 is turning out to be an unexpectedly theme-less election.
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