When Vajubhai Vala chose to side with his mentors instead of constitution of India, he chose to undermine the very institution that he represents.
It has been held by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in Rameshwar Prasad v. Union of India (2006) 2 SCC 1 that if a political party with the support of other political party or other MLAs stakes claim to form a government and satisfies the Governor about its majority to form a stable government, the Governor cannot refuse formation of government.
The decision just reinforces the basic principal of democracy that the entire principal of governance in this country is based on majority rule and that the Governors do not have discreatory powers to override these basics. Govenor Vala had a simple choice – that of inviting the BJP with 104 legislators as against 115 of Congress-JD(S).
His decision to invite BJP and providing a 15 day window for horse trading is an acute case of corruption as the highest level. The fact that a Governor ‘repaid’ his debt to his erstwhile colleagues is clear case of quid pro quo. We are actually surprised that this political corruption is not part of opposition’s political discourse.
BJP is already at its highest, it can only look forward to loosing territory in times to come. In democracy the fight always has to be for the hearts and mind of voters and not that of flexing political clout. In Karnataka BJP is now guilty of the same crime that Atal Bihari Vajpai had opposed in UP. But the AB Vajpayee did represent a party with a difference. Modi and Amit Shah, sadly, are the worst form of political manipulators – to whom compromising institutions of India is okay as long as it serves their agenda.
Together Governor of Karanataka, along with his affiliations to BJP has certainly bought a negative light to the office he represents.
