The political drama played out in the last one week is the repeat of the same base level of politics, which had taken place in Goa or Jharkhand earlier. How can democracy function when those who should guard it become the villains? How could it survive when everyone- from ministers to legislators to governor to Speaker -do not play by the rules? The courts are obviously the last resort.

The Governor seems to have been a classic example of “ more loyal than the king” motto and has gone beyond his brief by hastily recommending President's Rule but when the Congress showed its displeasure, made a U turn to give another chance to the chief minister to prove his majority. The court has added another twist that even if the government survives, the final result would depend upon its ruling on disqualification and therefore there is a possibility of a third time the chief minister taking a trust vote in one week.

It is a shame that legislators were kept locked up in resorts, taken around the neighboring states in private jets and helicopters and housed in five star hotels. How could there be a free and fair floor test when this happens? A former chief minister Kumaraswamy of JD(S) was openly shepherding the dissident MLAs from another party and surfaces in other cities like Chennai and speaks for them caring little for the pubic opinion. The Congress too was overtly and covertly in the game.

The confidence vote taken by chief minister Yediyurappa on Monday was questionable while the action of the Speaker Bopaiah in disqualifying the rebel MLAs and legislators is disputed in the court. The subsequent move by the Governor Bharadwaj in hastily recommending President's Rule and taking a U turn next day by offering a second chance to the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the house speaks volumes.

The centre on its part was unable to take a decision as it lacks the majority in Rajya Sabha. The reluctance of the UPA allies like the DMK, National Conference, Trinamool Congress and the NCP would have made it difficult for the Congress to get the approval of Lok Sabha if the President's Rule is imposed. The Congress, as expected, has distanced itself from the governor's actions and left it to the centre to deal with it.

The root cause of all these according to Karnataka watchers is the money power which is playing a bigger role in elections. Some of the legislators have publicly stated that they had been offered huge sums of money for defection. It is not just the opposition parties that dangled the bait of suitcases, as some legislators from the JD(S) claimed that the ruling party was wooing them. The irony is that while the highest bidder gets the legislators they cannot get their loyalty for all times. The fact that the same mining barons (read Reddy brothers) who had held the Yediyurappa government hostage a few months ago are propping him up now to save their own fortunes because it does not suit the Reddy brothers to have either a central rule or Congress led government. The chief minister has also accused the moneybags playing a role and has vowed to investigate after the voting.

Secondly, there is an unholy alliance of politicians and businessmen and muscle power. Politicians need money at the time of elections and businessmen provide it, In return they expect concessions like the mining's rights etc. Yediyurappa had used the influence of Reddy brothers earlier and this time again they have come to his rescue.

It appears that the iron ore-mining ban is the real issue. BJP insiders point out that the mining lobby had been suffering huge losses after the ban of iron ore export by the Yediyurappa government. The allegation is that the rivals of Reddy brothers ganged up to pool their money to bring down the government. It suited leaders like Kumaraswamy and BJP rebel minister Renukacharya.

Thirdly, there is the political aspect. Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and his son former Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy had played a role in mobilizing the rebel BJP MLAs. It was Kumaraswamy who kept them in camps in Chennai and Goa with the help of the Congress. The Congress also wanted the BJP out but saw that it was not made public.

Fourthly, the BJP should blame the chief minister for the present state of affairs. The chief minister has been trying to send out a signal that he is the strong man and has his own style of functioning, which is annoying his party men. His recent cabinet reshuffles also triggered off the current crisis. Those who were dropped and those who did not get a berth became the nucleus of the dissidents who were encouraged by outsiders like Kumaraswamy.

Fifthly, even the BJP high command did not handle the Karnataka issue properly. Had the BJP leadership put down the dissidence 18 months ago, or when the Bellary Reddy brothers flexed their muscles, things would not have gone this far. Added to that some of the senior leaders from the state were not happy with the chief minister for his dictatorial way of functioning.

Sixthly, there is need to have a re look at the anti defection law. The drama played out in the Karnataka Assembly makes it necessary to do so.

Although Yediyurappa has won the trust vote for the second time, the future is not looking very bright because the stability of the government has come into question with the razor thin majority. The BJP at the centre has to think hard as to how to keep its first government in the South safe. There are other questions like the use of money power, governor's role, the Speakers role and other issues which need to be looked into.
(IPA Service)