New Delhi: The Congress victory in Karnataka, its first big state since 2018, puts the party back in the game for general elections as it re-establishes primacy in the opposition space that is currently vastly fragmented despite efforts to cobble up a united front against the BJP.

The party wresting Karnataka, the only state ruled by the BJP in southern India, has provided the much-needed boost ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election while also underscoring the importance of giving precedence to regional leadership as the Congress seeks to reclaim its political turf.

The Karnataka strategy of hyper-localised campaign, a bold gambit of a proposed Bajrang Dal ban, five guarantees of doles, and deft handling of caste and class combinations and issues, could serve as a template to counter the hitherto successful blend of BJP’s “welfare outreach” and Hindutva politics.

Press Trust of India