Target 22 seats: On PM Modi’s mega roadshow hinges BJP’s hope to raise Bengaluru tally

In the last state elections, Bengaluru Urban district recorded the lowest voter turnover of 50 per cent, despite having 28 seats – the most for any district in the state.

Bengaluru has also traditionally sided with the Congress, especially during the 2013 and 2018 state elections. The BJP managed to get 12 seats in 2013 and 11 seats in 2018. However, its Bengaluru tally was the highest in 2008 when the saffron party pocketed 17 seats. The JD(S) meanwhile, always had to settle with single-digit numbers in Bengaluru over the years.

However, this time around, the BJP is targeting to win at least 22 seats in Bengaluru Urban district. Vishwanath Kumar, a local BJP leader says, “Because of maladminstration, lack of strong leadership and some BJP leaders, the party was not able to gain enough ground in Bengaluru. Either the candidates fielded were very weak or they were in an internal understanding with the Opposition parties. However, after this roadshow, we are confident that the BJP wave will resonate with voters.”

The mega roadshow that kicked off at JP Nagar saw chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ among the supporters amid a controversy surrounding the Congress’s poll promise in Karnataka to act against the Bajrang Dal if it comes to power.

The roadshow is also perceived as PM Modi shouldering the heavy responsibility of taking the state BJP to the finish line in the Assembly elections. Mohan Rao, a resident of JP Nagar, says, “Modi’s roadshow in constituencies like Bengaluru South, Basavanagudi, Malleswaram hardly matters, because these are traditionally BJP bastions. The roadshow is nothing but PM Modi doing the heavy lifting to cover up for the poor performance of the BJP state government and its leaders.”

Rishikesh S, another resident of JP Nagar, says, “I think the roadshow will help some of the undecided or swing voters to side with the BJP. The charisma of Modi can do a miracle with any voter who is confused about whom to cast their vote for.”

His wife Priyanka adds, “Despite Modi’s roadshow ensuring an electrifying atmosphere, the social infrastructure in Bengaluru is in a sorry state. The roadshow does not change the underperformance of local BJP leaders and civic agencies in ensuring better infrastructure.”

While PM Modi is set to address public meetings in Badami and Haveri later in the day, he will be back in the city on Sunday for the 10-km road show in Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency.