Setting its eye firmly on the 2023 Assembly elections, the ruling BJP in Karnataka will on Saturday organise 'Janaspandana', a public rally to mark Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai government's one year and the party's three years rule in the state.
The mega rally is being organised in Doddaballapur, a neighbouring town of Bengaluru. With the rally, the BJP hopes to set aside all recent drawbacks faced in the state.
First it was the backlash by the BJP workers and Hindu activists over the murders of Hindu and BJP activists in the state, then it was the alleged royal treatment rolled out to killers of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in the prison.
The party workers had laid siege to the residence of Karnataka Home Minister. Social campaigns had been carried out to mock the inaction and failure to ensure safety for Hindu activists. Hindu Mahasabha and Sri Rama Sena announced that they will not let BJP win the upcoming Assembly elections.
Also, reversal of textbook revision following backlash by the public, progressive thinkers and religious pontiffs is considered as a setback to BJP. Various community groups, including Lingayat Panchamasali sub caste, Kuruba and Valmiki are demanding reservation.
Social unrest situation, following hijab crisis and boycott of Muslim traders, though polarised Hindu votes, top industrialists, including Biocon Chief Kiran Majumdar-Shaw warned that India would lose its leadership position in IT and BT sectors, if the situation continued.
Adding to miseries was the recent rain fury in Bengaluru which shook the ruling BJP. Party insiders say that they will overcome the setbacks.
As per Chief Minister Bommai, the massive rally would not only lift up the prospects of the party, but boost the party's chances in the old Mysuru region, where it is weak.
The central leadership is talking about winning 150 seats in Karnataka, for which it has to win seats in south Karnataka districts, which are bastions of regional party JD (S) and Congress. The ruling party has new opposition in the form of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.
The programme was postponed thrice and it was seen as a "jinx". However, BJP is looking ahead to make the event a success and blow the trumpet for elections. The party is expecting a crowd of more than 3 lakh and party workers.
