Congress faces a tough and challenging road in run-up to the Karnataka election 2023 — which is said to be the first of the four ‘semi-finals’ between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress before the 2024 general elections. Winning the Karnataka polls may give the Congress a chance to up its stakes as a key challenger and the main Opposition player in the year's Lok Sabha elections. However, the grand old party needs to up its ante and cross several hurdles on the way.

Some of the challenges are listed below:

1.Factionalism

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar are often seen to be engaging in political one-upmanship for some time now. Both leaders are already jostling for the chief minister's post without waiting for the voters’ mandate.

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Besides the tussle between the two bigwigs, disgruntlement is evident among senior leaders like G. Parmeshwara, H.K. Patil, K.H. Muniyappa and others over being sidelined. Dalit leader Parameshwara, the Chairman of the Manifesto Committee "is sulking, having been totally sidelined, with the party finalising and announcing electoral promises without his knowledge," Moneycontrol reported.

Parameshwara has even expressed his desire to become the next Karnataka CM. About 10 leaders have aspirations in our party (to become the chief minister) and I’m one among them," Parameshwara had said earlier.

2. Ticket distribution

Aspirants revolting on not getting election tickets is another cause of worry for the Congress, which is confident about its prospects based on its poll guarantees, and its successful campaign against BJP's alleged corruption. As of now, the Congress has released a list of 124 candidates.

3. Lingayat vote base

Expanding its vote base among the Lingayat community is another key challenge for the Congress. In poll-bound Karnataka, where caste plays a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of the elections, Lingayats are said to constitute about 17 percent of the state's population. Meanwhile, the community has dominance in as many as 100 out of the total 224 constituencies, majority of these seats being in north Karnataka region.

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The Congress has taken several steps to woo the community. Among them was electing the party's Lingayat face, M.B. Patil as the chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee in Karnataka. According to the Hindustan Times, the Veerashaiva Lingayat community has demanded 52-60 seats in the upcoming elections. In an exclusive interview to the Print, Patil said, "During ticket distribution, Lingayats will be considered wherever their presence is strong."

4. Leadership

The Congress's central leadership seems to be not-so-strong to keep the party united in case of revolt. The role of Randeep Surjewala, the party general secretary in charge of Karnataka, is being reportedly questioned after leaders accused him of doing nothing to project a united front by bringing peace between the warring groups. According to Moneycontrol, Surjewala is also accused of indulging in favouritism and being inaccessible to ordinary workers and ticket aspirants.

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5. Amp up Election campaign

The Congress needs to liven up its poll campaign, reaching out to the grassroot level. Currently, it seems to be heading for the Karnataka polls on the strength of its local leadership and focusing on issues concerning the state, making corruption a central theme of its campaigning. The party also launched 'Praja Dhwani Yatra' in Karnataka "with an aim to share the party's idea with the people and assuring the all-round development of the state."

For Congress, defeating BJP will be a morale booster and a key to reviving its electoral fortunes and strengthening its credentials as the main Opposition player against the saffron party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The elections in Karnataka will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will be held on May 13.

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)