The saffron party's average winning margin against Congress and JD(S) where candidates of either of the two parties finished second was recorded at 21,766 votes and 7,292 votes, respectively.
The BJP tried its best to stem the damage easing out Eshwarappa from the Bommai Cabinet and, more recently, denying him a ticket to the Assembly elections.
Instead of reacting to what BJP was doing, the Congress focussed on development, elaborating on how the issue of rising prices, poor infrastructure and shrinking incomes was not being addressed by the BJP sufficiently.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, state president DK Shivakumar, senior leaders MB Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Dr G Parameshwara, RV Deshapande, and HK Patil are in the race for the CM's post.