Prajwal Revanna Sex Scandal: Impact on BJP-JD(S) in Karnataka’s 2024 Elections

The Janata Dal (S), which suffered significant setbacks in the 2023 state polls, faces heightened stakes due to its existential crisis. The party’s alliance with the BJP holds considerable importance, particularly following its poor performance in the previous assembly elections, where it only managed to secure 19 seats. It seems that the JD (S) has partnered with the BJP in hopes of regaining lost ground in the state.

In the recent third phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the JD(S) contested in three seats as part of its alliance. One of these seats was in Hassan, where JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna won in 2019 despite facing sexual abuse allegations. Interestingly, Hassan was the only seat JD(S) won in the 2019 elections, although at that time, the party was in alliance with the Congress.

Looking ahead, the JD(S) might face challenges in the upcoming elections in North Karnataka, where it doesn’t have strong support. A political analyst, Sandeep Shastri, suggests that unless there’s solid evidence from the SIT probe regarding the allegations, the BJP might dismiss them as fabricated. He also mentioned that if these allegations had surfaced just before the recent polls, they might have had a bigger impact in Southern Karnataka.

On April 16, during the polling day, former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda expressed assurance that the BJP-JDS alliance would triumph in all 14 seats of the state that participated in the first phase of voting.

The potential ramifications of the allegations against Prajwal Revanna regarding sexual misconduct.