If Congress wins in Karnataka doors for credible and broader opposition unity with Rahul emerging as a strong leader will be opened !

On 10 May Karnataka has recorded a bumper 73% turnout in its hectic Assembly election with mainly three parties in the fray viz ruling BJP, opposition Congress and Janta Dal ( Secular). Usually excessive voting percentage is termed as the vote of anger and annoyance for change and the 73% turnout is indeed a dangerous signal for the saffron party where charismatic prime minister Narendra Modi has addressed more than 21 largely attended public meetings with thousands of crores of investment schemes announced. The battery of Central ministers including the national BJP chief and a huge government and party machinery was at work to ensure that the prestige of honourable prime minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah is enhanced at all costs by repeating in Karnataka for the second time. In fact the top brass of BJP was till yesterday and is still confident of its victory but not to the extent it was thinking earlier. The eight exit polls including that of India today and Axis considered to be soft towards the ruling party has also given the main opposition party Congress more than 122 seats and similarly majority of the opinion polls except just one of News nation has given Congress an edge over BJP. However, the Janata Dal ( S) led by the former prime minister of India H. D. Devegowda and his son, former Karnataka CM s. Krishnaswamy who were in high spirits earlier are reportedly confined to only Mysuru region getting few seats and even losing on sitting MLA seats reveal exit polls and analysis of journalists from ground zero. The morale of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka and Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge are quite high and highly optimistic of winning in Karnataka hands down on 13 th May, 2023 the day votes of Karnataka will be counted and results declared. After this resounding victory as being predicted by majority of exit polls, though they are always not true, the Congress will be ruling in four states altogether viz. Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. On the other hand the Bhartiya Janata Party which was banking on the charismatic image of prime minister Narendra Modi and its credible achievements at the centre and in states have earlier lost Punjab at the hands of AAP, Himachal at the hands of Congress and now if exit polls are to be believed would be losing a third stronghold Karnataka. The national elections of 2024 are nearing and if BJP loses Karnataka it will really be a huge loss to the ruling party at the centre having adverse impact on the chances of this party winning hands down in 2024. Political analysts say that if the saffron party even after the abolition of 4% reservation to minorities in Karnataka and 2% enhancement of reservations to Lingayats and Vokaligas equally including using the Bajrangbali card loses this state at the hands of Congress and Janata Dal ( S) it will be not only a huge rebuff to the BJP but also to the charismatic image of prime minister Narendra Modi and the entire BJP leadership including great strategist Amit Shah who had left no stone unturned to ensure that the party repeats in Karnataka this time as well. Giving tremendous weightage to the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi sending an outstanding message in Karnataka and increasing inflation, massive unemployment including polarisation and rampant corruption in state like 40% commission strategy of Congress etc the political analysts say that in case Congress wins in Karnataka these factors would be considered having played a significant role in the saffron party’s defeat. Moreover, it is being said that Karnataka victory will also open doors for broader n credible anti BJP opposition unity at the national level with Rahul Gandhi emerging as a strong leader of this conglomeration that may pose threat to the BJP led NDA in the 2024 national election. However, they also predict in case the Congress loses or fails to form government in Karnataka prime minister Narendra Modi will emerge as a very strong formidable force in 2024 repeating this time as well with a comfortable majority.