Congress has upper hand in Karnataka Assembly election: Former Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra former chief minister Ashok Chavan of the Congress alleged that the double-engine government of BJP has failed to ensure the development of the State. Hence, it has been facing the Karnataka Assembly election on communal and divisive agenda. Voters in the State want peace and stability and it is only Congress which can deliver it.

Chavan, a star campaigner of Congress, told reporters here on Thursday that the assurances given by BJP leaders have failed to realise. So, they are trying to polarise society on caste and communal lines.

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"The voting percentage of the last five elections reveals that Congress has its own vote bank, base and support in the State. Congress rallies and meetings have been receiving good response and this has made Congress more confident of winning. People want peace, stability, social and communal harmony in the State and would stand by Congress," he expressed.

Chavan added that Congress had polled 40.85% votes in the 1999 elections, 35% in 2004 polls, 34.8% votes in the 2008 elections, 56.6% votes in 2013, and 38% in the 2018 polls. In 1999, Congress had won 132 seats and a similar environment is prevailing now.

Chavan said, the assurances given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Rs 15 lakh would be credited to bank accounts of all and two crore jobs will be created annually have come as a cropper.

Reservations for SC and backward classes are being used by BJP for polarisation. The Supreme Court has asked that the reservation ceiling should not cross 50%. BJP has an absolute majority in the Parliament and could have brought constitutional amendment to increase the ceiling. But it has not. Even opposition parties had suggested that because reservations of different communities have been hanging by a thread including the Maratha reservation in Maharashtra, he expressed.