Electoral tempo picks up steadily in Karnataka

BANGALORE: Election atmospherics is steadily unfolding in the state for the May five Karnataka Assembly elections as political parties are readying for a complex poll battle.


The ruling BJP and JDS led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and the fledgling Karnataka Janatha Paksha of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa have generated enough heat through their campaign.

Congress, that sees power within the striking distance encouraged by the outcome of the recently held Urban Local Bodies polls, has launched its campaign yesterday.

It was none-too-happy a start as several key Congress leaders, including former External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh skipped the rally that had a lower than expected turnout.

Scoring over the two dominant players, the JDS and KJP have released their manifestos, holding out myriad promises.

Yeddyurappa, known as a strong RSS man, has promised a Rs 2,000 crore budget for Muslims for their welfare in the manifesto that has come out just days after he vowed "in the name of God and Allah", never to return to BJP.

Reflecting its pro-farmers leaning, the JDS has said it would waive loans of farmers, if voted to power. And, in its strategy of wooing Muslims, it has promised to implement the recommendations of the Sacchar Committee.