In poll-bound Karnataka, the ruling BJP has focused its energies on mustering support from Hindu religious and community leaders. Party national president J P Nadda, who was in the state for a two-day visit, spent the entire time meeting religious leaders, apart from visiting several mutts. Party leaders admit that the BJP hopes the efforts will help it regain ground lost due to corruption and controversies plaguing the government's initiatives and development activities. Nadda's Friday itinerary, for example, included visits to the Panchamasali Mutt in Harihara, Kanaka Guru Peeta in Belludi and Valmeeki Guru Peeta in Rajanahalli, where he met heads and key leaders of the respective mutts. During the visit, he also made pit stops at Siddaganga Mutt, Sri Maadara Channayya Mutt, Sri Taralabalu Mutt and Bhovi Gurupeetha. Nadda's mutt diplomacy followed Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kateel's statement that party workers should “focus on stopping love jihad” instead of worrying about "minor issues" like road and sewage, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's exhortation that the choice before voters was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “who built the Ram Temple at Ayodhya and developed Kashi, Kedarnath and Badrinath”, and “those who glorify Tipu Sultan”, between those who are “with patriots”, and those with “the tukde-tukde gang”. The mutts or Hindu monasteries in Karnataka wield tremendous influence on the state's voters, and all parties court them. However, the BJP's renewed focus on emotive issues is seen as prompted by the various rows the Bommai government finds itself in, apart from apprehensions regarding the absence of a charismatic leader. Besides refreshing its ties with Hindu religious leaders, the BJP is planning a massive community-wise outreach, taking a leaf out of its recent Gujarat success story. A leader close to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai listed his achievements, to counter the impression that he has been ineffectual. “The new CM (brought in to replace B S Yediyurappa) brought stability to the government. The 10-lane Bangalore-Mysore highway — to be inaugurated soon – is going to ease traffic congestion in Bangalore city, and the extension of the Vidya Nidhi scholarship programme to children of labourers and autorickshaw drivers has been a huge success. The Karnataka government also received applause for its Covid management,” he said. But critics point out that most of these projects had been initiated by Yediyurappa, and that Bommai has lately bungled over several steps, apart from the corruption charges against his own office. "The much-awaited announcement of increasing reservation for SCs and STs did not fetch the desired impact,” said another party leader, noting that this was overshadowed by allegations that Bommai had tried to bribe journalists, "though these were baseless”. It is against this light that the BJP's change of narrative is being seen, particularly as till a few months back, the national leadership had conveyed to Bommai to focus on development. This was thte time when the state was seeing controversies over issues like hijab and halal meat. “Top leaders have admitted Karnataka is going to be tough. But they also said the party has to work hard and start early. Naddaji's visit was part of that,” said a senior leader. “The state has a good history of supporting the BJP. So if we can bring in everything, we can return to power. Besides, the Congress is still divided, it has two camps, and for both, D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, this could be their last election. So their differences can't be swept under the carpet. This will help the BJP,” the leader added.
