Karnataka masterstroke, not fake pass: How ‘Bajrang Dal ban’ propelled Congress in Muslim-majority old Mysore

Last Update: May 13, 2023, 3:59 PM IST

(Left) PM Modi at a rally in Shimoga; In Bengaluru, Bajrang Dal workers protested against the Congress manifesto. (Twitter/PTI File)

The Congress won the region by taking a lead in around 30 out of 49 seats, while the JDS was reduced to around 14 seats. An important factor was the promise to ban ‘Bajrang Dal’, even as the BJP made ‘Bajrang Bali’ its campaign theme in the last week of its campaign.

karnataka election 2023

‘Bajrang Dal’ controversy The Karnataka election campaign was seen as a mistake by the Congress, but it does not seem to have helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the results. Instead, the controversy seems to have consolidated Muslim voters behind the Congress even in the old Mysore region.

The Congress won the southern Karnataka region by taking a lead in nearly 30 of the 49 seats here, while the JDS was reduced to around 14 seats in its erstwhile bastion. BJP could win only five seats here. This was a complete reversal from 2018, when JDS had won 24 seats, Congress 16 and BJP 9.

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In the old Mysore region, Vokkaligas have traditionally voted for the JDS, while the Muslim vote is split between the JDS and the Congress. However, this time it seems Muslim voters in Old Mysore rallied behind the Congress like in other regions of the state, giving the party a gain of 14 seats.

Varuna to Aarakshan and Sidda

Several factors seem to have worked for the Congress. One was the promise of restoring the 4% Muslim reservation when the BJP comes to power, but the Supreme Court put a stay on this decision.

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The second reason was the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate Siddaramaiah, who was contesting from Varuna in the old Mysore region and had said that a chief minister from the region would be sent to Bengaluru. Muslims consider Siddaramaiah as their leader in the state.

consolidate Muslim votes

But an important factor that completely attracted the Muslims in old Mysore to the Congress was the promise of a ban on the Congress in its manifesto issued on 2 May. ‘Bajrang Dal’ outfit,

However, Congress leaders say the BJP exploited the ‘Bajrang Dal’ point to attack them on the basis of appeasement and the Congress runs the risk of angering some of its Hindu voters, who vote for it on caste lines. This point worked wonders in the southern Karnataka region with Muslim voters.

The JDS lost its loyal Muslim vote bank to the Congress, which was able to win a sizeable majority of around 30 seats here. A comprehensive victory in Old Mysore was crucial for the Congress as not only did it get more seats here, it was also able to reduce the number of seats won earlier by both the JDS and the BJP.

BJP made ‘Bajrang Bali’ its theme in the last week of its campaign, but it did not help the party Because the card didn’t work in the state, which has clearly voted on local issues.

Read this also | PM Modi begins Karnataka rally with ‘Bajrang Bali ki Jai’ slogan after Congress promises to ban Bajrang Dal

The issue proved to be a ‘masterstroke’ for the Congress in the old Mysore region, where the Muslim voters, who had never been entirely with the Congress, rallied behind it.