BENGALURU: JDS senior leader HD Kumaraswamy’s recent statement that BJP would make Union Fertiliser Minister Pralhad Joshi, a Brahmin, the chief minister if it comes to power has shaken up the ruling party and its teams are working extra hard to control the damage.
The ruling party feels that his statements have caused much harm to its electoral prospects and has now chalked out specific strategies to ensure that there is no erosion of its support base. Party leaders are now flooding social media sites with messages discrediting Kumaraswamy and urging readers not to believe what the opposition is saying about the party. The common target of all these messages is the former chief minister. The messages also try to portray his father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and brother HD Revanna in poor light. The BJP’s carpet bombing is because ruling party leaders feel Kumaraswamy’s statement could cost them Lingayat voters, who have overwhelmingly supported BJP.
A political expert said BJP is also wary of the statement’s impact on SC, ST and OBC constituents, which also form the party’s voter base. He said BJP won such a large number of seats in the 2008 and 2018 elections because Lingayats voted for the party as on both occasions, community strongman BS Yeddyurappa was projected as the chief ministerial candidate. But Kumaraswamy's statement on Pralhad Joshi being the CM candidate would upset this block of voters. Till the statement, it was assumed that Bommai, a Lingayat, would be the next chief minister if the party comes to power, he added.
Political analyst BS Murthy said, “BJP is the only party that has weaponised social media to this extent. This strong reaction from BJP on social media is an indication that Kumaraswamy’s statement has affected them severely. That is the reason they are putting up such a solid defence.’’
Many prominent personalities rushed to BJP’s rescue. Swamijis from reputed mutts, like Pejawar, important individuals and BJP leaders like CT Ravi, Govind Karjol, Ravikumar, and Chaluvadi Narayanswamy, criticised Kumaraswamy.