Karnataka Cong’s ‘vocal for local’ script comes unstuck after Kharge’s jibe at PM
Congress has been keen on sticking to its '40 per cent commission sarkara' line of attack against Bommai government, focusing on its poll guarantees for people
Then, Priyanka added that PM Modi rakes up these “strange topics” but refrains from talking about issues like price rise and unemployment, asking the voters to keep their focus on issues relevant to them.
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“This election is not about Modi…this election is not about any leader, whichever party they belong to. This election is about your Karnataka, your pride, your state, your everyday life which has been messed up by their (incumbent BJP’s) loot,” she said.
It is not just Priyanka. And it is not just Karnataka. The Congress had been trying hard in various Assembly elections in state after state in recent years to keep its campaign strictly local and avoid attacking PM Modi personally. The party has stuck to its script on many occasions and deviated a couple of times.
It is another matter that despite deploying such tactics, success in these polls, barring Himachal Pradesh last year, has been eluding the grand old party for long.
Most of the Karnataka Congress leaders, too, were of the view that the party’s campaign for the May 10 Assembly polls should be on state-level issues, whose target should be the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government.
The state Congress is keen on sticking to its “40 per cent commission sarkara” line of attack against the Bommai government, focusing on several guarantees that the party has pledged for the electorate besides promises like holding a caste census and rejigging the reservation matrix in the state.
The guarantees include a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders for two years, or Yuva Nidhi; 200 units of free electricity for all families, or Gruha Jyothi; Rs 2,000 per month for the female head of the family, or Gruha Lakshmi; and 10 kg rice for BPL families, called the Anna Bhagya scheme.
While Rahul and Priyanka have been targeting the Modi dispensation on issues of governance, they have also broadly stuck to the carefully crafted Congress strategy to keep its campaign “vocal for local (issues)”.
This strategy seems to have come undone now with party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “venomous snake” jab at the PM. As expected, the BJP has raised a storm against Kharge and even approached the Election Commission to demand barring of the Congress chief from campaigning in his home state.
Kharge had found himself at the centre of a similar controversy last year during the Gujarat Assembly elections when he, while addressing a public meeting in Ahmedabad’s Behrampura, said, “We see your (Modi’s) face in corporation elections, MLA elections or MP elections, everywhere… Do you have 100 heads like Ravan?”
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The BJP had then accused Kharge of likening the PM to Ravan. Kharge’s latest remark reminded some Congress leaders of Mani Shankar Aiyar’s “neech kisam ka aadmi” jibe at Modi in 2017 and Sonia Gandhi’s “maut ka saudagar” salvo fired at him during the 2007 Gujarat polls.
Kharge, in a damage control exercise, has said his “poisonous snake” remark was aimed at the BJP ideology and was not a personal attack on any individual.
Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape.
Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis.
The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage.
Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting.
Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics.
National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections.
Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum.
Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital.
Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief.
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