The upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections have sparked controversy, with surveys conducted by the BJP and its frontal organizations indicating that a narrow margin of votes and a combined use of 13 percent Muslim votes could help the Congress win 150 seats, adding to the BJP’s woes.
The BJP leadership is throwing all its might in the elections, fearful of these revelations in the surveys. In the 2019 assembly elections, Congress obtained 31.50 percent of the total votes, and the Janata Dal-Secular managed to secure 4.87 percent of the votes, while the BJP secured 50.32 percent of the votes. However, if the votes are seen closely, Congress could win by a huge majority.
According to the India Today survey, a mere one percent increase in the Congress’s vote share will benefit three seats, while a 2 percent increase can add 12 seats to the Congress. The Congress, which secured 80 seats in the previous elections, can obtain 92 seats. If the Congress increases its vote share by 3 percent, it is likely to win 107 seats, an increase of 4 percent votes can make the Congress win 122 seats, while a 5 percent increase can help the Congress secure 139 seats. If the Congress manages to obtain an extra 7 percent votes i.e. 39 percent votes, it can win 150 seats.
Not only Muslims but also secular urban and Lingayat voters are fighting unitedly to prevent the BJP from winning the Karnataka elections. There is no trend among women to vote in favor of the BJP. In Karnataka, Muslim voters constitute 13 percent of the electorate, while Lingayats account for 17 percent of the population. If Muslims and Lingayats vote together in favor of the Congress, then the Congress can win a historic victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections.
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