Lok Sabha 2024: After inaugurating the NDA’s campaign in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu alongside the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi will further his southern outreach on Monday.
His first stop is a public meeting in Shimoga, Karnataka, following his recent election rally in Kalaburagi, the stronghold of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Shimoga holds significance as it is the home district of BS Yediyurappa, a prominent BJP leader in the state.
The BJP’s candidate for the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency is Yediyurappa’s elder son, B Y Raghavendra, who currently serves as the state BJP chief. However, the party is grappling with internal discord in the region, notably with senior leader and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa, who intends to contest independently after being denied a party ticket.
Karnataka is emerging as a pivotal battleground in the upcoming elections. The BJP, in coalition with the Janata Dal (Secular), aims to replicate its success from 2019 when it secured 25 out of 28 seats in the state. However, the Congress, buoyed by its recent victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections and backed by a robust organizational structure, poses a formidable challenge to the BJP’s dominance in the region.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister will travel to Coimbatore in western Tamil Nadu for a roadshow. Coimbatore is among the constituencies that the BJP is targeting to establish a foothold in the state. Historically, the party has had limited success in Tamil Nadu, winning only one seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and none in 2019. However, it has intensified its campaigning efforts in the state over the past year. State unit chief Annamalai recently concluded his state-wide “En Mann En Makkal” (My soil, my people) campaign, during which he toured the entire state to connect with voters.
The Prime Minister’s emphasis on Tamil Nadu is evident, with five visits to the state since January this year and rallies held in Chennai, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari. The alliance dynamics in Tamil Nadu are currently uncertain. Following the AIADMK’s decision to end its alliance with the BJP, the BJP has initiated discussions with AIADMK splinter groups led by Palaniswami and T T V Dhinakaran.