Words A and E, and C and D have been interchanged.

(A) :- here ‘reconcile’ is the correct word. The meaning of ‘reconcile’ is ‘make someone ACCEPT (a disagreeable or unwelcome thing)’. The BJP candidate for CM cannot digest the FACT that the party lost the elections, therefore ‘reconcile’ here is the correct word.

(C) :- here ‘grip’ is the correct word. The meaning of ‘grip’ is ‘hold, clutch, catch’. ‘from the grip of the Congress’ forms a meaningful phrase.

(D) :- here ‘strongman’ is the correct word. The meaning of ‘strongman’ is ‘a leader who RULES by the exercise of threats, force, or violence’. Since the leader is using WRONG measures to acquire the POST, hence ‘strongman’ is the correct word.

(E) :- here ‘desperate’ is the correct word. ‘desperate measures’ here mean the ‘extreme measures’ adopted by BJP leader.

Correct sentence – ‘Unable to reconcile himself to the failure to wrest Karnataka from the grip of the Congress in last year’s Assembly election, the BJP strongman is adopting desperate measures to get another shot at becoming Chief Minister.’