New Delhi: On the day Conrad Sangma took oath as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second time, some politicians and Sangma’s colleagues in Karnataka on March 7 were busy meeting people and drawing strategies for ensuing assembly polls in the southern State.
The NPP proposes contesting at least ten seats, mostly in the Bengaluru city region, in the fast-approaching assembly polls in Karnataka. The presence of a sizable population from North Eastern States in the IT hub have obviously given the NPP strategists some hopes to try electoral fortunes in Karnataka.
NPP Karnataka general secretary and spokesman Prabhu Bosco have stated that the party is in the process of finalising candidates and manifesto. “We are planning to field important personalities at the contest…,” he remarked.
Of course, now that the heat and dust of polls in three North Eastern States have settled, all eyes will be on a fierce electoral battle in Karnataka.
In the past, even parties such as the BSP have played important roles in Karnataka polls.
The Janata Dal (Secular) of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had in the past played a big-time ‘damaging game’ for the Congress by its alliance with the Mayawati-led BSP. However, a marginal player in the past in some pockets BSP show has been commendable.
Several signboard parties are now making a beeline for the Karnataka battle. There will be SDPI from Kerala and AAP from Delhi.
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is an outfit backed by the controversial and communal Popular Front of India (PFI). It may be mentioned here that on December 31, 2020, SDPI workers were reportedly caught shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans in some parts of Karnataka, and sedition charges were filed against them.
Other smaller parties keen to try their fortunes in Karnataka include All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Mayawati-led BSP and also an outfit named Prajaakeeya formed by actor Upendra and G Janardhan Reddy’s Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha.
In 2018, one Independent won in Karnataka and as such BSP and Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) also had picked up one each.
The Congress vote share was the maximum between the three major parties, but BJP’s tally was far ahead.
While polling 36.65 per cent votes, the BJP could win 104 seats, the Congress vote share stood at 38.14, and seats were only 80. The JD(S) won only 37 seats, and the vote percentage was a modest 18.3 per cent.
