BJP hopes Janardhan Reddy, who faces more charges than most politicians, will deliver most of the 23 seats in his territory — 10% of the assembly’s strength.
With such a high proportion of late deciders who could be swayed during the campaign, political parties and their leaders cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal before the polling day.
Both the Congress and the BJP can feel the churn that this decision has caused in society and have hence steered clear of openly bringing it up in the election campaign.
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.
His tweets deriding the ‘northern imports’ of the BJP are among attempts to brand himself as a strong southern satrap, following the 6th century Chalukya king Pulikeshi.
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 recent resignations of its seniormost judges are among the most pointed institutional protests Pakistan has witnessed since the lawyers’ movement of the late 2000s.
Without a Congress revival, there can be no challenge to the BJP pan-nationally. Modi’s party is growing, and almost entirely at the cost of the Congress.
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