Low Polity

The results of Karnataka State elections have brought a new polity  on the Indian scene and I do not know where it is going to lead us. First when the results started coming, the trend were indicating that BJP might get majority,  and there was gloom in the Congress and JD S camps, but  in the end BJP fell short   of 8 seats for the majority figure and immediately Congress made a statement that they will support the JD S for the formation of govt, with Kumarswamy as the next CM. Mind it, both Congress and JD S were fighting against each other and BJP in Karnataka elections, and suddenly to the surprise of  their own party workers and newly elected MLAs , were ready for alliance, and the main reason for the Congress was to any how stop BJP  to form govt in Karnataka. When Governor invited BJP to form govt and prove the majority on the floor of house in 15 days, Congress petitioned against govt decision to Supreme Court (SC), but SC did not revoke Governor’s decision, the court only gave direction that vote of confidence should be done within 48 hours. As BJP did not have majority, their CM resigned and Congress- JD S were invited to form govt. Now it has been more than 3 days after the Governor’s  invitation but the CM and his ministry has still not taken oath of office, as they are still trying to sort out differences among themselves. Do not know how much time this govt will last, as this will be the case of weakest Party’s govt against strongest opposition. Both Congress and JD S have kept their MLAs locked up in different hotel/resort so that they do not defect, because both of them are not confident of holding them under their fold. I do not understand why Congress and other parties are always jittery about holding their flock together,  I can only say that they are now afraid of BJP who is presently emerging as the strongest party on the Indian Polity horizon. BJP along with their alliance partner are ruling 21 out of 29 states of country and Congress from 3 states  may come down to now 2 and half states, other 5 states are ruled by regional parties.

After the Karnataka Elections, there have been again talks of opposition unity for next general elections in 2019. It is good that there should be strong opposition in the country, but these types of opposition alliances are really bad  as the parties with different ideology always have problems in sticking together, as the egos of their leaders always come into picture. The country has faced this type of  situations earlier also:

1. 1977- after the emergency- Jaiprakash Narayan (JP) united all the opposition parties to face the Congress in General Elections, and all the leaders listened to JP and formed Janata Party by dissolving their original party. Public supported them and Janata Party trounced Congress in the elections and Morarji Desai became PM. But what happened, after 2 years bickering among leaders started, first to revolt was Charan Singh who left with his followers and claimed that he has majority and he was invited to form the govt and became PM, just before he could prove his majority in parliament, Jagjivanram ditched him as he declared that he has a majority as Congress has agreed to support him from outside. Charan Singh before he could prove the majority advised President to dissolve the Parliament and ask for fresh elections, which President did willingly as he could see that Janata Party experiment has failed.
2. 1989- after Bofors Scandal- Rajiv Gandhi who became PM with 400+ seats in 1984 got defeated on the issue of corruption. VP Singh ,( who was earlier Finance Minister in Rajiv Govt and had resigned on Bofors issue) with his new party Janata Dal came into power with outside support of BJP. This was the time when BJP’s Ram Mandir issue was at its peak, LK Advani of BJP took out a rath yatra , to garner support for Ram Mandir, he was detained and  BJP withdrew the support. That time Chandrashekhar, who was never happy with elevation of  VP Singh as PM, became PM with the outside support of Congress. His govt lasted only 5 months as Congress withdrew the support and again President was forced to call fresh elections.
3. 1996- After the general elections, BJP emerged as single largest party, and was invited by President to form the govt, but Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM failed to prove the majority and resigned.Congress the second largest party refused the invitation to form the govt, instead they agreed to support  Janata Dal govt from outside, Janata Dal constituents in the end agreed for HD Deve Gowda( who was then CM of Karnataka) for PM. But after a year or so, Sitaram Kesari whohad become President of Congress Party at that time did not get along with  Deve Gowda  and  he was replaced by IK Gujral as next PM. Gujral was also PM for few months and again Congress withdrew the support, and President asked for fresh elections.

So, we all have seen how the experiment of cobbling unity for one reason to oppose some party has always failed. Presently some leaders of opposition of talking of forming grand alliance, with one aim in mind to defeat BJP, for next general elections in 2019. Starting from Rahul and Sonia Gandhi of Congress,  Mamta Banerjee of  TMC, Naidu of Telugu Desam, CM of Telengana- Rao, Mulayam and Akhilesh Yadav of SP, Arvind Kejriwal of AAP, Omar Abdullah of National Conference,  Stalin  & Karunanidhi of DMK, Mayawati of BSP are the main leaders who are all propagating for united opposition to defeat BJP.  My contention is that unless they form a common ideological program and keep their fat egos aside then only  it may be possible  to give some fight to BJP.  As the mind of Indian public is very fragile and some of the section of the societies only look for freebies, which these leaders are expert in promising, it may so happen that they may win the elections, which at moment is far fetched dream but the possibility can not be ruled out, then  I can imagine what will happen. From the day one there will be fight for the post of PM and other lucrative Ministries and the governance will go to the hell and there will be complete chaos. As per past experiences and mind set of biggest opposition party Congress, the chances of this experiment’s success are minimal.

What you say my friends.

Waiting for your comments/views/feed backs.