The simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Karnataka reveal an interesting duality of trends. While there was a clear vote in favour of the ruling NDA alliance in the centre, the anti-Congress vote in the state was split between the BJP and the Janata Dal (S). With the strong showing of the Janata Dal (S) in the state polls, it is clear that the earlier dominance of the two-party system in the state is moving towards a competitive multipolarity. In turn, this current phase may well form only a transitory phase as the state moves towards a new bipolarity.
