It’s all happening in Karnataka. Indian democracy has stooped to its lowest level and the greed for power has superseded everything else. In quick time, action has shifted back and forth from the corridors of power to the Supreme Court. While BJP gets time till 4 pm on Saturday to prove its majority, the appointment of pro-tem speaker has stirred up another controversy. Karnataka politics has moved away from its democratic process and has taken a route which is governed by money and muscle power.
The insane greed for power has side-stepped all democratic processes and reduced government-formation to a circus of sorts. Otherwise, how could one explain the rationale of governor inviting the single largest party, knowing well that BJP doesn’t have the numbers. It was for the Governor, in all his wisdom and jurisprudence and in all fairness of democracy to invite the Congress-JDU combine which had submitted a signed list, to have a first shot at power.
The Constitution empowers the governor with exercising his discretion, but such a power cannot be used arbitrarily and whimsically. By inviting the BJP to form the government and giving them an extended time of a fortnight to prove their majority, the governor abandoned propriety and opened doors to horse-trading and defections. At the time of going to the governor, the BJP had no demonstrable proof of majority numbers and hence no justifiable reason even to stake claim.
The collective conscience of the Supreme Court bench has spoken. Calling for an immediate floor test and even directing the DGP to ensure law and order around the assembly complex are indications enough that the court apprehends that money and muscle power will come into play.
The travesty of Karnataka politics can well be connected to a joke that was being circulated on social media which the judge read out. It says that the hotel owner where the Congress-JDS MLAs are holed up has also staked claim to form the government saying he has 117 MLAs.
While the stage is being set for the floor test, BJP made the first move and positioned its man KG Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker. Speakers play a huge role in crunch situations and given Bopaiah’s shady past, he would be the right man for the moment. He holds the dubious distinction of disqualifying 16 MLAs in October 2010, ahead of a no-confidence motion to ensure the survival of the then Yeddyurappa government.
The pro-tem speaker can even disallow division of votes and settle for a voice vote. In that case, the Ayes will have it and the BJP will romp home, while the Congress will be back knocking the doors of Supreme Court.
Lest we forget, the speaker played a crucial role in the chaotic Goa assembly session of February 2005. Congress MLA Felipe Nery Rodrigues was ordered by the Speaker to be physically removed from the House, only to tilt the numbers in favour of the BJP.
While the Karnataka drama gets into its closing stage, it remains to be seen how the BJP manages to muscle its way to power or how the Congress-JDU combine survives to live another day.
