Single largest is norm, post-poll coalition is next
Governor is old RSS timer, has served under CM Modi
The man of the moment in Karnataka is Governor Vajubhai Vala, an RSS old timer who joined the BJP. Vala (80) is from Gujarat and had once vacated his seat for Narendra Modi; later, he served as Finance Minister in CM Modi’s cabinet.
The dilemma is whether to invite the single largest party, the BJP, which is seven short of the halfway mark, or the Congress-JDS combine, which has a combined tally of 118. Both have argued that the Governor should invite them to prove the majority first, as the law is on their side.
Vala met BJP’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and JDS-Congress’ joint nominee HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday evening, but did not decide on who he would invite first, saying he would wait for the Election Commission to give the final figures.
If Vala goes strictly by the book, he is expected to invite the single largest party (BJP) to form the government.
According to constitutional expert Rajiv Dhavan, the correct course is to call the single largest party first and, if it fails to prove its numbers, then the Governor may go for the coalition option.
In recent past, this practice has not been followed in Goa and Manipur. In March 2017, Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah invited the BJP to form the government in the state, despite Congress emerging as the largest party. Later, there was a replay in Goa as well as Manipur.
In Goa, the BJP under Manohar Parrikar had stitched up an alliance comprising some local parties and Independents to install its government, even though the saffron party had won 13 seats, as against the Congress’ tally of 17. Dhavan dubs these as ‘aberrations’ and not the thumb rule.
The Governor has three options before him: first, he can call the BJP, which is the single largest party, to form the government. Second, he may ask the Cong JD (S) combine to form a government as the largest post-poll alliance. In the third scenario, Governor Vala can keep the Karnataka assembly in suspended animation.
In the interim, elections to RR Nagar and Jayanagar assembly constituencies can be held and a window of opportunity may open for the BJP in a hung House.
Horse trading will immediately bring the concerned political party under the radar and invite the stringent provisions of the Ant-Defection Act.