Karnataka is likely to throw up hung assembly

The electioneering in Karnataka is in full swing by all the three contenders in the coming assembly elections. Ruling Congress in the state, Opposition BJP and JD(S) are major parties fighting the elections. All claim of their victory. Congress has to retain its power in the state to be in the reckoning in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. BJP has put everything into its campaigning to throw Congress out of power in the state and re-establish its feet in the southern state of Karnataka. Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda's JD(S) is also a political force that cannot be ignored. It may become either king or kingmaker in case of the hung assembly. BJP's star campaigner and charismatic leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started addressing rallies after rallies in the state. He has, undoubtedly, the ability to change the direction of the wind in his party's favour. He has shown this in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. But the situation in Karnataka is different from that of Uttar Pradesh. Congress is still the number one party in Karnataka. In the beginning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clear indication of going closer to Deve Gowda's JD(S) by showing respect to him. He may have done so expecting the hung assembly in the state. But he has now taken U-turn and attacked it in the same vein as he did Congress. This may also be his political tactics to give the message to the electorates that BJP is going to win and form govt. on its own in the state. BJP's Chief Ministerial face former CM BS Yeddyurappa has shown overconfidence in an interview to a journalist that by saying that he is going to take oath as the CM of the state on May 18 itself. It may be his confidence or overconfidence which will become clear on May 15 the day when results would be out. PM Modi is an excellent orator and no opposition leader can stand up to him in the country. Entire BJP leadership is in Karnataka for campaigning to win elections. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has also addressed many rallies in the state. Crime and corruption is no issue in this assembly election. It is only because both BJP and Congress have given tickets to tainted candidates in the elections. BJP has given tickets to Bellary gang led by Janardhan Reddy while Congress has given a ticket to Anand Singh, who switched sides recently from BJP to Congress. BJP's CM face in the election is Yeddyurappa faced several charges of corruption, though now he is acquitted in all. 3500 Crore iron mining scam accused Janardhan Reddy plays important role in BJP. Then, where is the issue of corruption and crime? As far as the political personality of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is concerned, he is certainly the top leader of the state. He is also most accepted by the people. He is also the single most popular leader of the Congress party. But the anti-incumbency factor is going against him. He has been the CM for the last five years. In the last four years his govt. has not done well in the state but in the last year his govt. has worked hard that has certainly caught the imagination of the people. Despite all that, neither the Congress nor the BJP is in a position to win the number of seats required to form govt. on its own. So, the chance of hung assembly is there in the state of Karnataka.