Rama Krishna Sangem
Rahul Gandhi who lost his MP seat during Karnataka assembly elections has greatly consolidated his position after the party wrested the state from BJP on May 13, Saturday. Congress won 137 seats against BJP’s 65 and JD(S) 19 seats in a House of 224 in Karnataka. All senior leaders – Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar and AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge – credited the victory to Rahul’s “Bharat Jodo Yatra” (BJY).
Even AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala who camped in Karnataka for last six months too mentioned Congress win 38 out of 52 assembly segments through which Rahul’s BJY passed. Though local issues have played a role in the assembly elections, Rahul’s frontal attack on CM Basavaraj Bommai’s government as “40 per cent commission sarkar” stuck with voters and corruption became a bigger issue in Karnataka.
Even BJP high command has denied tickets to 62 sitting MLAs to remove this tainted image, but that too couldn’t save it, as CM Basavaraj Bommai known as weak leader bore the brunt of the corruption charge. Presence of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi worked with the voters, as a defeat in Karnataka would have dented their authority within the party, especially ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul: This is vote for Love
Rahul’s pet theme of Congress standing for love while BJP for hate echoed with leaders at all levels while describing the victory. Rahul who came to AICC head quarters in Delhi on May 13 afternoon said: “This is people’s vote for love and affection, which we stood for, as against BJP that propagated hate and divisiveness. BJP stood for rich and we, for poor and the power of the poor won”. After a long time, AICC office came alive with celebrations on Saturday.
Siddaramaiah too attributed Congress victory as a vote for love against BJP’s culture of hate. “Congress wants to promote love among all sections of society as we are the only secular party in the country. But, BJP promoted hatred and tried to divide society on communal lines,” said he. DK Shivakumar credited Congress win to the Gandhis – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka.
A defeat in Karnataka would have eroded Rahul Gandhi’s standing not only in the opposition camp, but also within Congress. Efforts of some opposition leaders like Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to induct Congress minus Rahul into opposition camp might not work now. Leaders like Sharad Pawar and Bihar CM Nitish who are trying to project themselves as PM faces of non-BJP camp too would find it difficult to deal with a politically stronger Rahul Gandhi.
