BSY does a Vajpayee, quits as CM skipping trust vote

Bengaluru, May 19: Curtains came down in Bengaluru Saturday after a high voltage political drama ended with the resignation by the incumbent Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa without facing the floor test. After making an emotional speech, the BJP leader quit as a chief minister skipping the trust vote.

The political drama that continued for the last four days spreading out bitter signals with allegations and counter allegations of poaching, coercing the MLAs, was reminiscent of ‘Operation Kamala’ of 2007 when the same BSY fell short of six seats to save his government.

In 2007 Yeddyurappa had to resign the same way after H D Kumarswamy backed out of the alliance with the BJP leaving BSY with no option but to quit as Chief Minister.

BS Yeddyurappa addressed the Karnataka assembly ahead the crucial floor test and turned emotional, saying the mandate was not for the JDS ad the Congress and that they indulged in opportunism.

"I will travel across the state non-stop. We have received tremendous love and support across the state. For 2019, I promise, we will win 28 out of all 28 Lok Sabha seats. I won't relent. I will continue to fight. I hereby resign as CM. I thank people of Karnataka," said BS Yeddyurappa.

The day election results were out, it was clear that the BJP did not muster the required magic figure to form the government in the state which it held once. The quick action on part of the Congress to shake hands with their election rival JD (S) further sealed the fate of BJP and BSY. Still the BJP, as a single largest party (SLP) was given a chance to form the government by the Governor Vajubhai Vala.

He administered the oath to Yeddyurappa and gave him 15 day’s to prove his majority on the floor of the House. That would have been sufficient time to win over some of the MLAs towards the BJP. But the Congress rushed to the Supreme Court in the dead of night, the SC heard the petition of the Congress and ruled that BSY can be sworn in as Chief Minister but will have to prove majority in 48 hours. That certainly delighted the Congress camp.

The Congress also challenged the appointment of the Pro Tem Speaker Bopaiah but the SC rejected their plea.

The BJP tried its best but could not get the required number to prove its majority and BS Yeddyurappa has to resign. Following the footsteps of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee he delivered an emotional speech in the House and went straight to the Governor’s house to submit his resignation.

People of Karnataka voted for a change. The election results showed their anger and dislike of the previous government but they failed to give the required seats to the BJP. The mandate was not for Congress and JD (S) combine either. They contested the elections as rivals. But as the results were out, they quickly joined hands to keep the BJP at bay.

BSY rightly targeted the Congress-JDS post-poll alliance and termed it as “unholy”. “Those who were swearing on the names of each other’s fathers and calling each other names before polls, have now come together to form this unholy alliance,” he said.

“If only people would have given us 113 seats instead of 104, we would have made this state a paradise,” he said. He also assured that BJP will win 28 out of 28 seats in Lok Sabha in the 2019 general elections.

Karanataka elections were seen as precursor to 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Here all the anti-BJP forces had come together to defeat the BJP and the nationalist forces. This means the BJP will have to do a better homework and consolidate its constituency further it plans to win 2019 with great majority. Prior to that three BJP-ruled states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will be going to polls by the year end. Karnataka elections should serve as a lesson to the BJP leadership also to plan the strategy that will retain these three states like Gujarat.