After the recent election results in Karnataka, there may be spinmeisters who will argue that the Congress won despite Rahul Gandhi, and credit must be given to the local leaders. This is the same group that attribute BJP's victories to Modi's charisma but blames local leaders for losses. However, it is clear that Modi should take responsibility for BJP's defeat, as there were several factors that played against them.
1. The marginalisation of BS Yediyurappa, a prominent Lingayat leader, cost the BJP as the Lingayat community was dissatisfied with his apparent dismissal from the party.
2. The appointment of Basavaraj Bommai as Chief Minister was also a disaster as his leadership was lackluster and failed to inspire the state.
3. The BJP's focus on raising communal issues such as the hijab, halal meat, love jihad, land jihad, and economic boycott of Muslims did not go down well with the people of Karnataka, who were more concerned with price rise, corruption, and unemployment.
4. The Congress' call to ban Bajrang Dal helped consolidate Muslim voters, particularly in the old Mysuru area.
5. The factional politics within the BJP and the lack of a strong leader to counter DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah of the Congress also played a significant role in their defeat. The Congress fought like a well-oiled machine, setting the agenda, and forcing the BJP to react. The verdict clearly shows that over-dependence on Modi in elections may be a weakness for the BJP.
In conclusion, taking voters for granted and relying too heavily on religious slogans and Modi's charisma is not enough to win an election. The BJP needs to introspect and address the various factors that contributed to their defeat in Karnataka.