The ‘Sleeping’ Captain of Karnataka: BJP’s Campaign on CM Siddaramaiah’s Leadership

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a fierce attack on the ruling Congress party in Karnataka, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of being a “sleeping captain” who has led the state to become the “Titanic of India”. The BJP has cited various issues such as farmer suicides, power cuts, drought, crime, and lack of development to criticize the Congress government.

The BJP’s campaign on social media has shared several images of Siddaramaiah sleeping or snoring in public events, along with captions that mock his leadership and governance. One of the posts said: “When the Captain sleeps, the ship sinks! Karnataka, under the sleeping regime of Siddaramaiah, has unfortunately become the Titanic of India” .

The BJP has also slammed the Siddaramaiah government for its failure to ensure the safety and security of the citizens, especially women and children. The party has highlighted the recent incidents of sexual assault of a Muslim woman by a group of Muslim youths in Haveri district, and violence against children in a hostel in Kolar district. The BJP has blamed the Congress government for allowing “radical moral policing” to flourish and for having a “complete breakdown in law and order” .

The BJP has claimed that Siddaramaiah’s administration has ruined a “once-thriving” Karnataka, which was known for its progress and development. The party has alleged that the Congress government has neglected the welfare of the farmers, who are facing severe drought and distress. The party has also accused the Congress government of stalling the government transportation, causing frequent power cuts, declining startup funding and FDI inflow, and driving away corporate entities from the state .

The BJP’s campaign on CM Siddaramaiah’s leadership is part of its strategy to oust the Congress from power in the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka. The BJP is hoping to repeat its performance in the 2018 elections, when it emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats, but fell short of a majority. The Congress had formed a post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) to form the government, but it collapsed in 2019 after several MLAs defected to the BJP. The BJP then formed the government under BS Yediyurappa, who resigned in July 2021 and was replaced by Basavaraj Bommai as the chief minister.