The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Karnataka): In Karnataka, the BJP is grappling with significant challenges as it aims to replicate its 2019 electoral performance of winning 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats. The situation is complicated by the presence of a Congress-led state government and ongoing internal conflicts within the party.
The Congress party is currently showing strong unity and optimism, buoyed by recent survey predictions that favor their capturing at least 15 seats. A survey conducted by Kannada digital platform Eedina.com between February 15 and March 5, which predicted 17 seats for Congress and 11 for the NDA, has added to this confidence.
Contrasting sharply, another survey by News18 suggested that the BJP would maintain its hold on 25 seats, while Congress would secure only three. Adding to the BJP’s concerns, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge referenced an internal survey by the RSS indicating the BJP would win fewer than 200 seats nationwide and only eight in Karnataka.
Amidst these political dynamics, the BJP faces discontent from the Fakkireshwar mutt’s Jagadguru Fakira Dingaleshwar Mahaswami, a significant Lingayat figure, who announced he would run as an independent against Union Minister Prahlad Joshi. Joshi has been accused of exploiting Lingayat mutts for political gain, a sentiment echoed at a recent assembly of 40 Lingayat seers who advised against his renomination.
The BJP’s reliance on the Lingayat vote is further complicated by grievances that none of the nine Veerashaiva-Lingayat MPs elected on BJP tickets in 2019 were included in the Union cabinet. Additionally, the Fakkireshwara mutt, which incorporates Muslim traditions in its ceremonies, signifies the complex cultural dynamics within the Lingayat community.
The political landscape is further stirred by former Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who, after a snub from the BJP’s central leadership, has chosen to contest independently against B.S. Yediyurappa’s son in the Shivamogga constituency.