The BJP stands to gain by not rushing in to fill the spacevacated by a fractious coalition

The fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government inKarnataka, at the culmination of weeks of political skulduggery, hardly marksthe end of uncertainty and the beginning of stability for the State. The crisisin the ruling coalition had crippled governance, even as allegations of bribingand kidnapping of legislators by the Opposition BJP emerged. The coalitiontried every trick to hold its flock together, but to no avail. Howsoeverdelayed, the inevitable happened on Tuesday as the government led by H. D.Kumaraswamy lost a trust vote in the Assembly. In a House shrunken by theresignation of several coalition MLAs, the BJP, which had won 105 seats in the2018 election, had a majority. Its protestations notwithstanding, the BJP hasbeen instrumental in engineering the rebellion. Regardless of the claims ofboth sides, it would be difficult to concede that their slugfest had to do withany principles. The legislators who resigned from the Assembly havedemonstrated a remarkable disregard for the people’s mandate, and their excusesfor doing so are shallow and dishonest. This drama must end, at least now.

Though it had not won a majority, the BJP, as the singlelargest party was invited to form a government after the 2018 election. TheSupreme Court intervened to enforce an early trust vote that the BJP failed towin, paving the way for the government that has now collapsed. The BJP never ceasedits machinations to drive a wedge in the coalition, and now wants to form agovernment. Seventeen coalition MLAs abstained from the voting, and most ofthem had resigned already. The status of their resignations and questionsregarding their disqualification are now subjects of scrutiny by the Speakerand the Supreme Court. Many of the questions are without precedent andcomplicated, but they need to be settled urgently. Until then, it would beundesirable to form a new government. It would be facetious for the BJP toclaim a majority in the House with its strength reduced by schemed absenteeismof members or vacant seats. Nothing in the statute prevents the BJP fromstaking claim, but it should not pursue that path. Instead, it should waituntil fresh elections are held for all vacant seats. It is possible that theBJP could repeat its performance in the Lok Sabha election and win most ofthese seats. It needs at least eight more MLAs to cross the halfway mark in theHouse that has a strength of 224 elected members. No government with thesupport of fewer than half the total strength could be deemed to have amandate. Waiting might be in the BJP’s best interests. The party has anopportunity to demonstrate that it wants to form an alternative government notbecause of any desperation to wield power, but because it wants to ensurepolitical stability and restore good governance.