In the 2023 assembly polls, the Congress hit the bull's eye through their advertisement campaign that included a spoof 'PayCM,' highlighting the alleged 40 per cent commission prevalent in the previous BJP government.

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This time, the Congress has been focusing on the alleged step-motherly attitude of the BJP-led NDA government towards Karnataka in the devolution of funds. The dharna led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in New Delhi was part of the plan.

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As part of the campaign, the Congress released a full page advertisement in local newspapers featuring an empty 'chembu' to drive home the point that the Union Government had ignored the state when it came to release of funds. It appeared on the day the Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru for campaigning.

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'Chembu,' though, has different connotations in different parts of Karnataka. In several villages in North Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka, people still go for open defecation and they carry a vessel which is called 'chembu.'

In stark contrast, in the south, chembu, also called 'tambige' is used in pujas and other ceremonial occasions. As such, Congress's rivals were quick to grab 'chembu' as an electoral weapon.

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Janata Dal Secular, led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, took a dig at the Congress, saying that the UPA regime under Dr Manmohan Singh had left behind a 'chembu' that was turned into an 'akshaya patra ' by his successor Narendra Modi.

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Sunanda, a housewife, was among those upset with the 'chembu' advertisement, saying the people would hand the vessel to the ruling party for insulting the Hindus.

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However, a Congress leader said they had no intentions of hurting any religious sentiments through the advertisement. “The advertisement was aimed to highlight the injustice meted to Karnataka,” he said.

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Former MLC G Madhusudhan slammed the Congress for its campaign. “By releasing such an advertisement, the Congress has insulted the people of Karnataka, and the party will have to pay a heavy price. The voters will give them the 'chembu',” he said.