The ruling BJP at the Centre faces a huge challenge in the politically significant Southern State of Karnataka where Assembly polls are due to be held next year.

The BJP is aware that its victory in the just-concluded Assembly polls in Gujarat wasn’t a convincing one as it one just six seats more than the number of seats required for a simple majority and for the first time in many years, the BJP’s strength in the State Legislative Assembly has been reduced to a 2-figure mark. BJP had reasons to cheer in the Himalayan State of Himachal Pradesh where it upset the ruling Congress.

Top-brass of BJP has already started chalking the party’s strategy to be adopted during next May’s Assembly polls to be held in Karnataka where it is the main opposition party. BJP is aware of Congress’ ‘good show’ in Gujarat despite it not proclaiming anyone as the party’s chief-ministerial candidate. It was clearly a case of ‘Modi Vs Rahul’ in Gujarat wherein the latter remained unscathed even in defeat.

Karnataka presents a very different kind of challenge to the BJP where the Congress chief-minister Siddaramaiah has the image of a crusader of the rights of the minorities and SC/STs. Besids, he has been continually displaying traits of his love for the regional language against Hindi. Siddaramaiah’s stance in the Cauvery river water dispute with Tamil Nadu is likely to stand the Congress in good stead during polls.

Had the BJP tasted an easy success in Gujarat, the ‘Modi wave’ could have spread to Karnataka but ultimately that was not to be the case. It remains to be seen as to what strategy the BJP adopts to unseat the Congress from the seat of power in Karnataka.