K'taka Masterstroke, Not Faux Pas: How 'Bajrang Dal Ban' Powered Cong in Muslim-Dominated Old Mysore

The ‘Bajrang Dal’ controversy was seen as a faux pas by the Congress during the Karnataka election campaign, but it does not seem to have helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the results. Instead, the controversy seems to have consolidated the Muslim voters, even in the Old Mysore region, behind the Congress.

The Congress swept the Southern Karnataka region by leading in around 30 of the 49 seats here, while the JDS was reduced to around 14 seats in its erstwhile stronghold. The BJP could win only five seats here. This was a complete turnaround from 2018, when the JDS had won 24 seats, the Congress 16 and the BJP 9.

In the Old Mysore region, traditionally, the Vokaliggas have voted for the JDS, while the Muslim votes have been divided between the JDS and Congress. This time, however, it seems the Muslim voters in Old Mysore consolidated behind the Congress, like in other regions of the state, handing the party a gain of 14 seats.

RESERVATION & SIDDA FROM VARUNA

Multiple factors seem to have worked for the Congress. One was the promise to restore the 4% Muslim reservation if it came to power, after the BJP tried to scrap it, but the Supreme Court stayed the decision.

The second reason was the CM contender of the Congress, Siddaramaiah, contesting from Varuna in Old Mysore region and pitching that the region will be sending a CM to Bengaluru. Muslims have considered Siddaramaiah as their leader in the state.

CONSOLIDATING MUSLIM VOTES

But a vital factor that drew Muslims in Old Mysore fully towards the Congress was the promise in its manifesto released on May 2 to ban the ‘Bajrang Dal’ outfit.

Congress leaders say although the BJP milked the ‘Bajrang Dal’ point to attack them on the grounds of appeasement and the Congress risked offending some of its Hindu voters who were voting for it on caste lines, the point worked wonders in the Southern Karnataka region among the Muslim electorate.

The JDS lost its loyal Muslim vote bank to the Congress, which was able to win a big number of around 30 seats here. A comprehensive win in Old Mysore was crucial for the Congress as not only did it gain more seats here, but was able to reduce the seats won earlier by both the JDS and BJP.

The BJP made ‘Bajrang Bali’ its theme in the last week of its campaign, but it did not help the party as the card did not work in the state which has clearly voted on local issues.

Far from a faux pas, the issue proved to be a ‘masterstroke’ for the Congress in the Old Mysore region, where the Muslim voters who have never been fully behind the Congress, also supported it unitedly.