Down & out

The BJP’s defeat in the just-concluded Karnataka election has come a shocker for its leaders and supporters. It is not in power anywhere in South and East India. The BJP rose to power in the state by mustering a majority in 2019. However, it failed to build credibility and gain people’s trust.Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal are tough states to crack for the BJP. Reports of rampant corruption led to BJP’s debacle in Karnataka. Though Modi made over 20 visits to the State during campaign, even he could not save the party from defeat.UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath returned to power for the second consecutive term in 2022, becoming the only incumbent in the state to come back to power in nearly four decades. Himanta Biswa Sarma, too, returned to power in Assam for the second consecutive term. He was, however, not the chief minister in the first term but his contribution as health minister and as the party’s top strategist played a role in bagging the northeastern state for the second time for BJP. Perhaps Karnataka BJP should have learnt lessons from them.