BJP's strategy to win trust vote fails to take off

It is now clear that the BJP startergy of approaching a section of “disgruntled” MLA-elects from the Congress and the JD(S) persuading them to abstain from attending the House, miserably failed.

The BJP with 104 seats could not muster the numbers to cross the magic number of 111 in the Assembly to retain its government headed by B S Yeddyurappa. On the other hand, the JD(S)-Congress combine, which is now all set to form the government, succeeded in keeping its flock together.

The BJP is said to have been citing serious cases against a section of the Congress MLAs including illegal mining as part of the persuasion strategy. It also looked at those from the Lingayat community almost “threatening” them that they will face the wrath of the community if they vote against Yeddyurappa.

There is a divided opinion in the BJP whether the party should have ventured to form the government despite knowing that it did not have the numbers. One section is of the view that the party should have sat in the Opposition and worked on the sympathy narrative till the Lok Sabha polls next year. However, another section feels that having come so close to form the government, giving up easily would have had a negative effect on the morale of the party cadre. If there were no efforts to form the government then there was the fear of some legislators deserting the party.