Governor Vajubhai Vala offers BJP the first chance to form the Karnataka government, ignoring claims of the Congress-JD(S) postpoll alliance, which had a clear majority. The political drama is likely to continue as the single largest party can prove its majority only by poaching MLAs from its rivals
May 16 was a tense day in Bengaluru. After the Karnataka assembly elections threw up a fractured verdict the day before, there was no clarity about who would form the next government. With 104 seats, the BJP emerged as the single largest party. But, the Congress was uncharacteristically quick to act, extending “unconditional support” to arch-rival Janata Dal (Secular), to stop the BJP. Yet, by around 9:30pm, the BJP confirmed that Governor Vajubhai Vala invited its legislative party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa to take oath as chief minister. The swearing in was fixed for 9am the next morning. The governor also gave him ample time—15 days—to prove his majority.
The Congress and the JD(S) reacted strongly to the move. They called the governor’s decision arbitrary and unconstitutional, and approached the Supreme Court to challenge the invitation to Yeddyurappa, in the middle of the night itself. At the time of going to press, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court was hearing the petition.
On May 15, as the results started trickling in, the scene was completely different. The BJP was surging ahead, and there were celebrations all across the state by party workers. But, when the final results came, the BJP fell short of majority by eight seats (see graphics). Sensing a chance, the Congress, which came second with 78 seats, reached out quickly to the JD(S), which had 37 seats, and also had the support of the sole BSP MLA. Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ashok Gehlot, who were camping in Bengaluru, approached JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda to cement the alliance and offered the chief minister’s post to his son H.D. Kumaraswamy. The JD(S), which had a bitter rivalry with the Congress, surprised all by quickly endorsing the offer.
This story is from the May 27, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
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This story is from the May 27, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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