Election results for the assembly
elections of Maharashtra and Haryana had been a mixed bag for BJP. The pre-poll
alliance of BJP and Shiv Sena having comfortably crossed the majority mark
ensured the return of coalition of power without any hiccups. On the other
hand, the party failed to obtain majority on its own in Haryana clambered for
support to form government. The 11-month
old JJP led by Dushyant Chautala sprang a surprise in Haryana. With a top notch
maiden political performance Chautala emerged as a surprise kingmaker. Though
the stakes were high, losing no time, BJP put best foot forward and eventually
tied up with JJP. BJP-JJP sealed the coalition and in less than 72 hrs Manohar
Lal Khattar returned to his official duties as Chief Minister.
In sharp contrast, Sena threw a
spanner into government formation and stalled the process with its tantrums of
equal power sharing. Refusing to settle for anything less than a chief
ministership post for 2.5 years it posed hurdles. Negotiations between the
parties with three decade long political partnership failed to end the
political impasse. Sena remained adamant. Reluctant to make any amends to its
demands, it held the state hostage to the political stalemate despite a
decisive mandate. Through its mouth piece Samna, Sena doubled its attacks on
BJP. Discussions between the coalition partners failed to cut ice. As the
deadline of November 8th, (end of current term) neared, Sena
hardened its stance triggering speculations of constitutional crisis. On Nov 8th,
Devendra Fadnavis tendered his resignation.
Throughout its poll campaign, BJP
maintained that Fadnavis would be the chief minister of state for five years.
Keen on installing a Sena candidate as Chief Minister, Sena remained defiant, but
continued to hold closed-door talks with other parties. On Nov 9th,
Governor invited Fadnavis, the leader of single largest party to initiate
government formation. But the deadlock over the 50-50 power sharing couldn’t be
resolved. After BJP expressed inability to form the government, governor Bhagat
Singh Koshyari invited Sena leader Eknath Shinde, the second largest party.
Sena expressed its willingness to form a coalition government.
Days after elections, both NCP
and Congress maintained that respecting people mandate they would sit in the
opposition. NCP which had yet to reveal its cards didn’t respond to Sena’s
offer. Desperate to form the government Sena sought an extension for three days
to submit requisite letter of support. Governor refused and invited NCP to
stake claims. After all the major parties failed to form government, governor
recommended imposition of President’s rule. By November 12th
President’s rule ensued.
Miffed by governor’s refusal to
give time, Sena took the Maharashtra to Supreme Court. It alleged NCP and
Congress was ready to offer support but governor failed to give more time.
Indeed, on NCP’s behest, Sena severed ties with NDA, Cabinet Minister Arvind
Sawant tendered his resignation. Since November 12th, Sena held
hectic parleys with NCP and Congress. Apprehensive of losing its Muslim voter
base for allying with a Hindutva Sena Congress remained reluctant and avoided
making any public statements. On the contrary, NCP’s Sharad Pawar made no
secret of his negotiations with Sena about the power sharing. He shuttled
between Mumbai and New Delhi. Formation
of coalition gained pace after Sonia Gandhi gave a go ahead for alliance with
Sena on Wednesday.
True to his reputation of being a
wily politician amidst this political high drama in Maharashtra, fuelling
speculations of a plausible ties up with BJP, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar held a
meeting with Prime Minister Modi for 40 minutes. After the meeting, he
dismissed rumours of tie up and termed it a routine affair to address farmers
distress. Back in Mumbai, the “troika”
Sena-NCP-Congress arrived at a ministerial berth sharing formula of 15-15-12.
Though parties had severe disagreements over plum positions of Chief Minister,
Deputy Chief Minister and Speaker, the new coalition, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi
as per media reports inched towards staking government formation. Notwithstanding the visible fissures, by
Friday night the coalition named Uddhav Thackeray as its chief minister and
declared that new government will take oath on Monday (Nov 25th).
Come Saturday morning, the nation
wakes up to the the news of Devendra Fadanavis having sworn in as Chief
Minister of Maharashtra for a second time with Ajit Pawar as deputy chief
minister. The unprecedented turn of events left the country flabbergasted. Akin
to a midnight political coup, a series of events from 8pm on Friday to 8am on
Saturday changed the political contours of the state.
As per media reports, Ajit Pawar,
nephew of Sharad Pawar, submitted letter of support signed by MLAs to governor
by 8pm. By 10 pm governor apprised the President of the turn of events. At 12
midnight, Ajit Pawar along with few MLAs met the governor extending support to
BJP. Fadanavis met the governor at 2 am to stake claim for government. By 5:47
am, governor revoked Presidents rule. Around 8 pm Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar
accompanied by their families officially took oath. Ascertaining the events,
Prime Modi tweets congratulatory message to Fadnavis and extends best wishes to
him. BJP and NCP with 105 and 54 seats was tasked to prove majority was tasked
to prove majority on November 30th.
The numbers are definitely stacked in favour of new government, and well
poised to offer stable government provided the alliance successfully passes the
AgniPariskha of floor test.
Outwitted and outflanked by swift
moves of BJP, NCP and Sena questioned the legality of whole process and alleged
high-handedness of BJP in influencing the constitutional offices for their
political interests. Stumped by Ajit’s political manoeuvring, Sharad Pawar and
Uddhav Thackeray held press conference. Elder Pawar feigned ignorance and
claimed Ajit had deceitfully obtained the letter signed by NCP MLAs. He vowed
to take action against Ajit after taking the consensus of the party members.
But Pawar’s rather soft approach towards Ajit raised doubts of being the unseen
hand behind these sudden twists and turns. Uddhav stated BJP committed a sin by
going to governor at midnight and swearing in as Chief minister without any
official notice. Congress party’s absence raised doubts about cohesion of newly
formed coalition. But soon Ahmed Patel accompanied by Mallikarjun Kharge
accused BJP of the political coup and threw weight behind the coalition.
By 3pm Union Minister Ravi
Shankar Prasad rebutted the false claims of the trio (Sena, NCP and Congress)
who gloated about the murder of democracy. Defending governor’s actions, as
legitimate, he clarified that Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are leaders of
legislature of their respective parties are entitled to submit letters. He
exuded confidence about BJP-NCP led by Ajit Pawar winning the floor test and
claimed BJP has “warded off a conspiracy to capture financial capital of
India through back door”. Riled by Sena’s unabated tirade, he demanded
answers for its 360-degree U-turn and wanted to know the trigger. While
political analysts have been situationally referring to turn of events as black
day for Indian democracy. These criticisms appear far-fetched as they were
officially sworn in after producing the requisite letter of support from
MLAs.
Since the announcement of
elections results, Sena insisted that it should get equal share of pie, it is
time for real soul searching for the Maharashtrian party. BJP with a strike
rate of 70% and nearly twice the number of seats played a dominant role in
winning the larger mandate. Sena piggy backed BJP and won 56 seats riding on
the popularity of Fadnavis government. The mandate is an endorsement for his
good governance in the state and central leadership of Modi. Instead of doing the
reality check, overpowered by greed, Sena locked horns with BJP. Dumping the
three-decade long association, Sena brought the state, which is vital for
powering Indian economy to political deadlock. Undermining the national
interests, the Sena hell bent on clinching power despite the mandate staked its
ideology and joined hands with parties strongly denounced by the founding
father Bala Saheb Thackeray. How much ever the parties would like cast
aspersions of BJP of being power hungry, it is undeniable that the Maharashtra
political crisis has an offshoot of Sena’s political greed.
Undermining the peoples mandate,
Sena ditched the pre-poll alliance and rallied with parties which it badmouthed
and campaigned against in the elections. While two wrongs can’t make it right,
this deception have opened flood gates for political opportunism. Smaller
parties are extracting their pound of flesh through hard bargaining to pledge
their support. This has forced BJP to enter into alliance with a party with
which it has nothing in common. NCP, which tacitly approved the saffron terror
theory is know to have close links with accused of Bombay blasts. Needless to
say, betrayal of political mandate has serious repercussions for both BJP and
Sena which are largely deemed as Hindutva parties by vast majority. By
undermining the pre-poll alliance, Sena has breached trust. People will no
longer consider any political alliance a serious contender.
A series of unstable coalition
governments for two decades at the centre disincentivised people against
delivering a fractured mandate. The stunning mandate for the Modi government
for the second time indicates that people are wary of coalition or Khicidi
sarkars. They now understand the implications of an indecisive mandate. Soon
people might replicate this trend in state elections. The massive political
activity, hectic dramas, hood winking, poaching, horse trading and defections which
are unfolding in the aftermath of assembly elections is making them weary of
the democratic elections. With political opportunism becoming the buzz word
people might consider voting enmasse to a decisive leader. While this can be a
welcome development, smaller parties with low finances might sooner or later
fade away in this biggest huddle for power.
Given the out-of-thinking of some
outfits and the mastery in circumventing the gaps in the constitution it is
time, government seriously considers plugging these lacunae. Having frittered
huge political mandate, parties are vaingloriously stitching unnatural
alliances. They disrespected and dishonoured electoral verdict.
Maharashtra is now witnessing a
gruelling political turmoil faced by Karnataka last year. Instead of submitting
letters of support, pre-requisite for government formation, Sena, NCP and
Congress are herding their MLAs into resorts to prevent poaching and horse
trading. While all the constitutional legalities are followed in Maharashtra,
the trio has appealed for Supreme Court intervention alleging conspiracy. Just
like the midnight judgement in case of Karnataka, SC will open on a Sunday to
hear the petition at 11:30 am. NCP in the meanwhile, removed Ajit Pawar as NCP
legislature party leader and replaced him with Jayant Patil invalidating his
letter of support. Despite these perfunctory actions, analysts largely assert,
Ajit Pawar wouldn’t have joined hands with BJP without tacit approval from
Senior Pawar. They don’t rule out a lastminute flip-flop.
Finally, if the judiciary had to
take final call on the political mandate, why should the government take pains
in conducting the huge electoral process involving massive investment and
mobilisation of state machinery? Lot is at stake for political parties. But
with every political coup of sorts parties are slowly losing their credibility
and morality is the biggest casualty.
@ Copyrights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment