Yogi, Himanta, Jaishankar: Names in huge demand for BJP's campaign in Karnataka polls

Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023, the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eyeing to carry out a maximum number of campaigns with popular Union Ministers and Chief Ministers. Meanwhile, the BJP is likely to release the full list of its star campaigners for the assembly polls, slated on May 10. 

Among the names who are in big demand to campaign for the party are Union Minister Smriti Irani, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

In the state of Karnataka, the BJP has blown the poll bugle soon after the announcement of the elections timeline by the elections commission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mysuru recently, that is said to be the most influential constituency of JD(S)-Congress. The constituency also has an electorally influential community called Vokkaligas. 

Karnataka politics is hugely dominated by Lingayats and Vokkaligas voters since independence. While the Lingayat population is seen across the state, the Vokkaligas community members are densely based-out in just three-four districts, including the Mysore region. In an effort to retain the power, and campaign beyond the Lingayat base, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned in deploying the party's most popular faces. 

A BJP senior leader, while talking to the ANI, said, "Karnataka is a peculiar state where the popularity of leaders varies from region to region. A leader like Yogi Adityanath will be a great appeal in the coastal Karnataka region whereas, in the Karnataka Maharashtra border districts, the party would like Devendra Fadnavis and Goa. Chief Pramod Sawant to campaign given their popularity and language connection. Himanta Biswa Sarma has come across as a leader who is acceptable to the urban and rural masses given his plain talk and his push for Hindutava." 

Extensive campaign by Amit Shah, Nadda in cards

PM Modi, who has proved himself to be a prominent face from Panchayat to Parliamentary elections, is expected to participate in a maximum of 15-20 campaigns in poll-bound Karnataka. Meanwhile, a maximum number of campaigns by Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is on the cards. 

“While every assembly constituency would like to see a campaign from the Prime Minister but given the constraint of his being busy, there is a plan to club a few constituencies together for a PM’s program. PM Modi will likely hold anywhere between 15 to 20 rallies in the run-up to the election,” a senior BJP office bearer said to ANI.