The stage is set…It‘s time to act..

Campaigning for the high-stake elections in the state ends in a few hours from now, capping a bitter canvassing that saw national leaders of the BJP and Congress making a strong pitch for people’s mandate in the May 5 Assembly polls.

The assembly election is taking place amid unprecedented corruption scandals haunting the Congress at the national level and the BJP in the state.

Voters will elect 223 members for the 225-seat assembly that includes one nominated member. Polling in Periyapatna in Mysore district was postponed to May 28 following the death of the BJP candidate.

Sunday election has attracted so much national attention because political pundits have considered that Karnataka’s electoral outcome will reveal what the national mood is ahead of upcoming Lok Sabha elections, say both the BJP and the Congress.

On several occasions when a party won majority in Karnataka, it sat in the Opposition in Delhi. In recent times, only exception was HD Deve Gowda who led Janata Party to victory in 1994 Assembly elections, and two years became the “accidental prime minister” at the Centre.

As a result the stakes are high for the Congress, the BJP, as well as regional stalwarts like HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa.

The Congress is banking on Karnataka to reverse its fortune in larger states, as it has lost in bigger states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat recently. This is the reason why the Congress has avoided much experimentation in selection of Congress candidates, trusting veterans in majority of the Assembly constituencies.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Yuvaraja Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have addressed several public rallies. The situation also seemed to be very good for the party in the beginning. All most all pre poll surveys indicated that the party is all set to form government with 120 seats.

However  the situation changed with every passing day.  After seats distribution fiasco and infighting for the chief minister’s post, the party is expected to win 96 to 100 seats.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi tried everything and clearly looked confident despite the possibility that her party may not cross 100 seats in Karnataka Assembly elections.

Her party leaders are still indulging in fights and sabotaging each other’s campaign, and failed to act united, at least for their leader.

On the other hand ruling BJP has put on a brave face for the elections, despite being hobbled by constant infighting, splits, corruption charges against its chief ministers and senior ministers, and the anti incumbency factor.

Though BJP President Rajnath Singh, stalwart L K Advani and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj addressed a number of public meetings, it was Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who clearly stole the show for the party.

The BJP is not doing well in Karnataka is old story. Now, it may still gathers its wits and build on Modi factor. He has raised the morale of the BJP in Karnataka and that is what national leaders do.

Another important player is  Janatha Dal Secular (JDS). The party headed by the former Prime Minister H D Devegowda also suffered a setback after seats distribution fiasco and infighting. However Devegowda has succeeded in convincing most of the rebel leaders. However, the party is limited to certain parts of the state only. As a result the party seems to be satisfied with the third position and aims to be a king maker.

Both the KJP and the BSR Congress are breakaway groups of the BJP, and thus have hobbled the ruling party in specific pockets. Of the two parties KJP looks little stronger than BSR Congress.  Independents seems to emerge in a significant way.

Any way it is now time to exercise our rights. Let us vote and vote for a right candidate..

(Posted on May 2, 2013 @ 11.45pm)