Fresh from its electoral forays in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the BSP is seeking to leave its “firm footprints” in South India by contesting all the 224 assembly seats in Karnataka and trying to rope in rebel leaders of various political parties. 

According to party sources, several leaders in Karnataka are ready to follow the footsteps of senior leader P G R Sindhia who joined the BSP recently. Several veterans including M P Prakash and M Rajashekhar Murthy have been approached to join the party.

“Negotiations are also on with a senior Kuruba leader and other fence-sitters in various parties,” they claimed.
The BSP has already dented the Congress base and facilitated Narendra Modi’s win in Gujarat, besides ensuring the Congress rout in Himachal Pradesh.

The party even won a seat in Himachal Pradesh where its vote share increased from 0.7 per cent in 2003 to 7.26 per cent in 2007. 

Karnataka has an estimated 23 per cent Dalits and the BSP is expecting to “undercut” the Congress and JD(S) votes in the State by fielding its candidates in all 224 seats, the BSP sources said.

“The party would appeal to Karnataka voters to consolidate and spread the Dalit  movement in the South,” they said.