<p>The BJP has won in Karnataka, sweeping 12 out of the 15 seats for which by-polls were held. But in the process, democracy has lost. The BJP, which had failed to cross the halfway mark in the 2018 Assembly elections, instead of respecting the mandate of the people, resorted to extra-constitutional means to grab power by artificially manufacturing a majority that it did not have. This was achieved by poaching 17 ruling JD(S)-Congress MLAs, who were subsequently disqualified by the Speaker—a decision that was upheld by the Supreme Court—necessitating the by-polls. The victory of 12 disqualified MLAs who contested on BJP tickets now gives the BS Yediyurappa government a simple majority in the Assembly, but it also negates the purpose of holding general elections if a party that does not win the requisite number of seats is able to form the government through horse-trading and other dubious means. This is not what the framers of the Constitution envisaged.</p>.<p>While the will of the people is supreme and cannot be questioned, what’s disturbing about the results is that the voters of Karnataka, unlike their counterparts in other states, do not seem to be troubled by the grave constitutional impropriety committed by their MLAs, who resigned not to further any interest of the constituency but for their own gains. The politicians killed the principles of ethics, morality and integrity, the voters have now effectively given those principles a decent burial. In contrast, all the 18 disqualified AIADMK legislators were defeated during the by-polls in Tamil Nadu, while in Haryana and Maharashtra elections, voters showed the door to a majority of turncoats.</p>.<p>By scripting a stellar performance without the aid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP chief Amit Shah, who did not campaign during the by-polls, Yediyurappa has not only strengthened his own position as the undisputed leader of BJP in the state but has also sent a clear message to the high command and his detractors that he can neither be taken for granted nor written off, despite his age. While Congress put up a miserable show mainly due to its internal dissensions, the JD(S), which drew a blank, may have some soul-searching to do. Though the recent developments in the state are a blot on the Constitution, the results will hopefully pave way for a stable government. Continued political instability, coupled with drought and floods, have wreaked havoc on Karnataka’s economy. Now that the BJP government does not have to worry about its survival, Yediyurappa should immediately get his act together and put the state back on track.</p>
<p>The BJP has won in Karnataka, sweeping 12 out of the 15 seats for which by-polls were held. But in the process, democracy has lost. The BJP, which had failed to cross the halfway mark in the 2018 Assembly elections, instead of respecting the mandate of the people, resorted to extra-constitutional means to grab power by artificially manufacturing a majority that it did not have. This was achieved by poaching 17 ruling JD(S)-Congress MLAs, who were subsequently disqualified by the Speaker—a decision that was upheld by the Supreme Court—necessitating the by-polls. The victory of 12 disqualified MLAs who contested on BJP tickets now gives the BS Yediyurappa government a simple majority in the Assembly, but it also negates the purpose of holding general elections if a party that does not win the requisite number of seats is able to form the government through horse-trading and other dubious means. This is not what the framers of the Constitution envisaged.</p>.<p>While the will of the people is supreme and cannot be questioned, what’s disturbing about the results is that the voters of Karnataka, unlike their counterparts in other states, do not seem to be troubled by the grave constitutional impropriety committed by their MLAs, who resigned not to further any interest of the constituency but for their own gains. The politicians killed the principles of ethics, morality and integrity, the voters have now effectively given those principles a decent burial. In contrast, all the 18 disqualified AIADMK legislators were defeated during the by-polls in Tamil Nadu, while in Haryana and Maharashtra elections, voters showed the door to a majority of turncoats.</p>.<p>By scripting a stellar performance without the aid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP chief Amit Shah, who did not campaign during the by-polls, Yediyurappa has not only strengthened his own position as the undisputed leader of BJP in the state but has also sent a clear message to the high command and his detractors that he can neither be taken for granted nor written off, despite his age. While Congress put up a miserable show mainly due to its internal dissensions, the JD(S), which drew a blank, may have some soul-searching to do. Though the recent developments in the state are a blot on the Constitution, the results will hopefully pave way for a stable government. Continued political instability, coupled with drought and floods, have wreaked havoc on Karnataka’s economy. Now that the BJP government does not have to worry about its survival, Yediyurappa should immediately get his act together and put the state back on track.</p>
