Many want single-party rule: People are fighting on behalf of BJP says Modi

Bengaluru: In all probability, the 2023 Assembly elections will go down in the annals of Karnataka history as the most intensely fought state polls. The close contest, do or die efforts by political parties, especially BJP and Congress, have made the country to watch the developments very closely.

With just two days left for polling, people in the state appear to be in a mood to elect a single party to power. Many of the voters, particularly the youth who constitute about 1.6 lakh new voters, feel that a coalition government would be busy in politicking and the development of the state would suffer. The youth want a government which can help them to get employment opportunities. “No matter which party wins, it should be a single party government,” they said.

As the campaign is ending by Monday evening both the BJP and the Congress express confidence that they would form the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the overwhelming response he received in Bengaluru during the roadshow made him believe that it is the people who are contesting the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka on behalf of the BJP.

“This morning, I went to have a ‘Darshan' (opportunity to see) of ‘Janata Janardhan' (public God) in Bengaluru. People gave me ‘never-seen-before' love and affection,” Modi said at a public meeting here in Bagalkote district of poll-bound Karnataka.

“I say with confidence that this election is neither Modi contesting, nor BJP leaders or our candidates, it is the election the people of Karnataka are fighting on behalf of the BJP. I see the total control of the election in the hands of people,” Modi said.

The ruling BJP, determined to come back to power with a new experiment of introducing 72 new faces, has changed the scenario entirely in Karnataka.

The Congress, on the other hand, adopted a confrontational approach with BJP over multiple issues. Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi have directly challenged Prime Minister Modi over corruption, reservation cap, and humiliation of Lingayat leaders. The recent alleged threat to the life of Kharge has come handy for the Congress party to launch a high-pitch political attack on BJP.

While Modi spent maximum time addressing several meetings, Amit Shah reached most of the constituencies in the nook and cranny of the state. Prime Minister Modi’s outreach in this election is unprecedented.

His appeals to voters of Karnataka were also not made by any PM till date. BJP leaders themselves say that the scale of election campaigning has been unexpected this time.