A CAMPAIGN against corruption, guarantees of dole and consolidation of Muslim votes appear to have underpinned the Congress victory in Karnataka that was also aided by anti-incumbency against the BJP Government.

The strength of the poor has defeated the power of crony capitalists and this will happen in all States, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday, stressing that his party raised people’s issues and ran a positive campaign.

The Congress successfully wresting power in Karnataka after Himachal Pradesh will be a morale booster for the party in reviving its electoral fortunes and strengthening its credentials as the main opposition player against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

 

The party’s’ all-out attack on the BJP Government over corruption allegations with the “40 pc commission sarkar” barb, coupled with the Adani issue struck a chord with the people, according to party leaders. The Congress pledged to implement on the very first day after coming to power its poll guarantees like 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).

 

Also, Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti) were promised. “This is the victory of ‘janata janardhan’. All our leaders have worked unitedly and people have voted for our guarantees,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on the party’s performance in his home state. Another key factor, according to Congress leaders, was the consolidation of the Muslim votes, which accounted for nearly 13 per cent of the electorate and were usually split between the Congress and JD(S), in its favour. The party had promised to restore the four per cent quota for Muslims which has been scrapped by the BJP Government. The Congress manifesto’s promise of banning the Bajrang Dal was picked up by the BJP and PM Modi aggressively to portray the grand old party as being against Lord Hanuman and the sentiments of Hindus.