April 15, 2024 – Karnataka’s former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) slogan for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, ‘Abki Baar, Chaar Sau Paar’ (This time, over 400 seats), calling it a ploy to divert public attention from their anticipated defeat1.
Siddaramaiah’s remarks come as the BJP aims to secure a significant majority in the Parliament. However, he suggests that the slogan is merely a strategy to mislead the public, given the BJP’s internal survey results, which reportedly show the party struggling to even secure 200 seats. He expressed confidence that the INDIA bloc and other anti-BJP parties would gain the majority this time.
While Siddaramaiah refrained from predicting the Congress party’s performance at the national level, he showed optimism about winning 20 of the 28 seats in Karnataka. His comments have intensified the pre-election political discourse, with the BJP’s ambitious target being scrutinized by opposition leaders.
The BJP’s slogan has been met with skepticism by some, who view it as an overconfident claim amidst the complex political landscape of India. The party’s leaders have repeatedly stated their goal of surpassing the 400-seat mark, which would grant them a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament, potentially allowing for constitutional amendments.
