New Delhi: The BJP is buoyed by the recent results in three states. After a good performance in the Northeast, the party is now eyeing the southern states. The party hopes that the party can perform better here in the Lok Sabha elections. Southern states have around 129 Lok Sabha seats and out of these BJP has only 29 seats. Out of these 29 seats, 25 seats belong to Karnataka only. The BJP is buoyed by recent wins in the Northeast and the change in the political landscape in the southern states between 2019 and 2024. BJP is not only eyeing Karnataka and Telangana this time. Tamil Nadu is also included in the party’s plan. However, before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Karnataka and Telangana assembly elections will also be watched.
Assembly elections will be held later this year in BJP-ruled Karnataka and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS)-ruled Telangana. This election will give an indication of whether the climate is suitable for the lotus to flourish in the south. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed confidence in the party’s victory in Kerala, where the BJP has one MP and one MLA.
Leaders trying to challenge Narendra Modi in South
KCR has also started trying to oust BJP from the Centre. On the other hand Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is being projected as a leader who can mobilize non-BJP votes to challenge the BJP. KCR is trying to forge opposition unity with former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. However, it is not yet clear who will lead and who will support. A few days ago Tamil Nadu CM Stalin had said that BJP should not come to power. Narendra Modi should not become Prime Minister again. This is his party’s stand.
The 29 seats BJP has in the Lok Sabha are from Karnataka and Telangana. BJP won 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 2019. Four MPs were elected to the Lok Sabha from Telangana, but the BJP has no representatives in the House from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. But party workers are confident that the results are coming in BJP’s favor in Tamil Nadu, the heartland of Dravidian politics.
