Battle for 28 LS seats: Congress plans strategies, BJP struggles with leadership crisis

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: As the crucial Lok Sabha polls approach, the ruling Congress Party in Karnataka is busy formulating various strategies to secure a significant number of seats in the state.

The Congress High Command has taken a proactive approach, inviting around 50 leaders from Karnataka, including Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers, and legislators, to chart out winning strategies with the aim of securing a minimum of 20 of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The buoyant mood within the Congress stems from its impressive performance in the recently-held Assembly elections, where it secured 136 of the total 224 seats. Eager to maintain the winning streak, the party is determined to go into the parliamentary polls with a focus on their five guarantee schemes, which they claim, have benefited lakhs of people, especially the poor, in the state.

On the other hand, the opposition BJP, which achieved a record 25 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, appears to be facing internal challenges and leadership issues.

The party has not yet named a replacement for the current state President, Nalin Kumar Kateel, who is reportedly uncertain about contesting the upcoming LS polls from Mangaluru Lok Sabha constituency fearing defeat.

Additionally, the appointment of a Leader of the Opposition in the StateAssembly has been pending for more than three months, creating a leadership vacuum.

The desertion of key leaders has further handicapped the BJP, particularly in the North Karnataka region, after the departure of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi from the party.

Moreover, most of the sitting BJP MPs are facing anti-incumbency, prompting the party to consider fielding new faces.

On the other hand, the Congress Party is experiencing an influx of aspirants eager to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, fueled by the pro-Congress wave sweeping across the state.

To strategize for the upcoming polls, the Congress High Command is reportedly sending a team of leaders led by National General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala to work out detailed plans months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.