The Karnataka chapter of the Congress party will be riding on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's achievement of a five-year stable government during the polls of 2009.

"In spite of the ups and downs of a coalition government, the party has managed to provide a stable government. The face of our party, prime minister Manmohan Singh, will be our major focus in the campaign," said M Ramachandrappa, general secretary, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

However, at the state level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will continue to be the rival. The party will be adopting a 'wait and watch' policy in selecting their candidates. "We will see who the BJP will field and select candidates who can give a tough fight to them from our party," he said.

The strategy that is being formed by the Congress leaders at the Centre will bank on the traditional bases of the party like Chamrajnagara, Davangere, Chitradurga, Chikamagalore and Gulbarga while also fielding the senior most and experienced leaders to assure a win in the elections.

"We will focus on the leaders who have a good network and are capable of influencing the voters rather than go for fresh faces," Ramachandrappa said.

Also, the party will take advantage of the absence of the most charismatic leader of the BJP at the Centre, former prime minister AB Vajpayee. "LK Advani, who has been announced as the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, is not accepted by one and all in their party. But we have chosen Singh in unison, which will add to our advantage," he said.

Bringing an able Ghulam Nabi Azad as in-charge of Karnataka along with Tamil Nadu and Orissa is another positive point, as it will bring unity among senior Congress leaders.

Azad led the party to forming a government in 1989 and 1999. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Dalit face of the Congress in Karnataka, has been inducted to secure votes from the community.

Rohit BR/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication