Corruption issue, 'guarantees' and putting up united front do the trick for Congress in Karnataka

Putting up a united front and making corruption a central theme of its campaign coupled with pre-poll ‘guarantees’ of free power and rice and unemployment dole did the trick for Congress in defeating the BJP, which was weighed down by anti-incumbency.

In addition, the Muslim vote, which accounted for nearly 13 per cent of the electorate, consolidated in favour of the party, Congress sources said.

The Congress has promised to implement poll ‘guarantees’ — 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi), and free travel for women in public transport buses (Shakti – on the very first day after coming to power in the state.