'The Karnataka Story': 5 Key Takeaways As Congress Returns To Power, BJP Loses South Foothold

Karnataka Election Results: Making corruption a central campaign theme and promise of free rice, power and employment dole are among the factors that likely contributed to Congress's good performance.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with KPCC President DK Shivakumar and other leaders visits Chamundi Hills temple ( Image Source :PTI )

Karnataka maintained its 38-year-old tradition of not returning the ruling party to power, with Congress making a comeback to the state as BJP failed to defend its south citadel. Outgoing CM Basavaraj Bommai conceded defeat and vowed to came back stronger in the Lok Sabha election. "We will take result in our stride, we will reorganize the party and come back in Lok Sabha election," he said.

Making corruption a central campaign theme and promise of free rice, power and employment dole are among the factors that likely contributed to the Congress's good performance.

Here Are The Five Key Takeaways From The Karnataka Election Results:

1. Congress is set to return to power as Karnataka maintained its 38-year trend of never voting the incumbent party to power since 1985. The results come as a big boost to the Congress ahead of elections due in five more states this year — Telangana, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
2. While Rajasthan Congress has been plagued by a tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, a similar story was not seen in Karnataka. The two stalwarts of the Karnataka Congress, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, put their issues aside and showed a clear united front.
3. The results are important for more than one reason. BJP has now lost its foothold in the south and will face a tough challenege in the upcoming Telangana election.
4. For the Congress, the Karnataka result will give it a much-needed boost in two of the only three states it holds power now and where elections are due later this year -- Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The victory will also give the Congress bragging rights as the party tries to cobble together like-minded Opposition parties to form some sort of an anti-BJP front to take on the PM Modi juggernaut in the Lok Sabha election next year.
5. So, why BJP lost? Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's government has been riddled with allegations of corruption and bribery. The Congress pivoted its campaign on allegations that the state's ruling BJP was extracting 40 per cent commission from builders, contractors and others.
   Moreover, BJP raising the pitch in the last stretch of campaigning over the Congress manifesto promising the strictest action against outfits such as the Bajrang Dal, calling it an insult to Hanuman and His devotees, clearly failed to cut ice with the voters.