Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Karnataka looks at Governor's House

Karnataka has thrown up a hung assembly. No party has got a majority to form govt. on its own. BJP has emerged as the single largest political party in the state with 104 assembly seats, Congress comes second with 78, JD(S) got 38 and others got 2. Hardly had the results for all assembly seats declared when the Congress swung into action and offered unconditional support to JD(S) to form govt. with its leader HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister. As it is said that once bitten twice shy, Congress was not in a position to leave any chance to keep BJP away from power. It had experienced in Goa, Manipur, and Meghalaya that despite emerging as the single largest party in all the three states, it failed to form govt. in any of the three. It is because of party's leadership complacency and lack of political maneuvering. But this time UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi herself took charge of Karnataka situation and talked to JD(S) Chief and former PM HD Deve Gowda about forming the govt. in Karnataka in the coalition. Supporting JD(S) and sacrificing the post of Chief Ministership for it is not new to the Congress. It was Congress in 1996 that it extended unconditional and outside support to HD Deve Gowda-led United Front Govt. at the Centre. It helped the father Deve Gowda become PM in 1996 and now it helps the son HD Kumaraswamy as the CM of Karnakataka by extending support to his party JD(S). Anything at any time can be possible in politics. BS Yeddyurappa-led BJP in Karnataka has already staked its claim of forming the govt. Kumaraswamy with the support of Congress has also staked his claim to form the govt. in the state. Now, the ball is in Governor's court. All attention is focused on Governor's House. Undoubtedly, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the state. But this must not be the sole criteria to invite it for forming the govt. with a rider that the floor of the assembly is the best place to test strength within a certain number of days. Here, it is open that the BJP has 8 short of a workable majority. When the entire nation is not convinced that BJP would be able to manage the required number of MLAs for the majority in the assembly, Governor should go by the rule book. If there will be the delay on the part of Governor's House in inviting either BJP or Congress-JD(S) coalition to form govt., enough space is there for horse trading and poaching of MLAs to cobble up the majority. Kumaraswamy and Congress have already charged BJP of trying to buy MLAs for more than Rs. 100 Crore. The situation demands that Governor must rise above party politics and do only what the Constitution says. Otherwise, by delaying in inviting the political party to form govt., there will be the open display of committing horse trading and poaching of MLAs of other parties to cobble up the majority. Governor should also take advice from the Constitutional experts and lawyers what he should do under the present political circumstances. Otherwise, democracy will be murdered in the broad daylight.

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