After the drubbing the party got in the general elections, the ensuing bypolls for the three Assembly constituencies in Karnataka is seen as a litmus test for the ruling Congress and its Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The August 21 bypolls to the three Assembly segments in Bellary, Shimoga and Chikkodi held by B Sriramulu, BS Yeddyurappa of the BJP and Prakash Hukkeri of the Congress are going to be tough for the Congress which is now caught up with infighting.
As it is almost sure, the BJP will get one seat each in Bellary and Shimoga, the Congress would get one at Chikkodi. The Congress under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been into the politics of minorities, by helping consolidation process of dominant communities like Vokkaliga and lingayats is an advantage to the BJP.
It is already in circulation, that Yeddyurappa’s son, BY Raghavendra and Sriramulu’s sister and former MP Shantha and Congress leader and MP Prakash Hukkeri’s son would contest the bypolls.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already started the consultation process with holding meetings with his confidants and the major Opposition BJP has also
started the ball rolling, to face the elections in the changing political scenario.
A section of the Congress leaders belonging to a dominant community is already upset with Siddaramaiah and another group, akin to the State Congress president G Parameshwara is bringing pressure to include him into the Ministry to make him deputy Chief Minister.
The weakened Congress high command, anarchy in the State unit and emergence of Modi wave have posed a tough challenge to Siddaramaiah in the ensuing bypolls for three Assembly constituencies.
A senior leader in the State Congress told The Pioneer, as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has antagonised dominant communities, the ensuing bypolls to the Assembly will have a serious repercussion on his leadership. He said, “By playing backward classes politics to hilt, he has faced the wrath of the major communities in the party. It is going to be a litmus test for the party this election. The results will have major impact on his leadership.”
Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government in the State is under pressure over many issues and the recent incidents of rapes have dented the image of the Government further.
Meanwhile, the major Opposition BJP is well preparing to win all the three bypolls, taking advantage over the crisis of the ruling Government. A senior leader of the BJP said “We are sure to win all the three seats. We are in advantageous position over Congress. People have rejected the Congress.”