Karnataka result should be a wake-up call for Shiv Sena
Lucknow, December 10(HS) The Karnataka result should not matter as much to others as to the Shiva Sena,a major political force in Maharasha. It is because of the similarity in the situation in two states.Like the southern state,there is an unholy alliance in Maharashtra.The Shiv Sena has tied up with Congress it loved to hate.It had a 30-year alliance with the BJP and also shared power with but it snapped the tie to grab power and head the government in the coastal state.
A similar thing had happened in Karnataka.The JDS had no pre-poll alliance with the Congress but the two came together to form a government.Voters did not like the idea and have given a reply.Maharashtra may face the same result. Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackarey had said on many occasions that he would never go with the party.But his son, Uddhav has done the opposite which might not have gone well with the electorate.
The BJP was ready to form government with the Shiv Sena but not ready to give him the chief ministerial position which was reserved for for the old BJP hand,Devendra Fadnavis.The BJP was only 40 short of the magic figure and with the Shiv Sena it could form a stable government but the latter was not ready to see Fadnavis as chief minister again.
A number of meeting were held between the Shiv Sena and the Congress ( third party was the NCP as the two parties were short of majority). The Congress finally agreed. Fadnavis became a chief minister again for a brief period but resigned when he found that he does not have the numbers.
The three parties have differences on many issues and the going is not easy for the three-party government in the coastal state.It may or may not complete the five-year term and the Sena may suffer like the JDS in Karnataka.The JDS had made the same mistake in the southern state and allied with the party it had hated.
In both the cases,there was no pre-poll alliance.The Janata Dal(Secular)or JDS ,like Shiva Sena , had cobbled one after the Assembly elections apparently to grab power and head the government.Voters, especially the young ones saw through the game and to teach a lesson defeated all JDS candidates in by-elections held early this month.
The JDS had put up three candidates and all of them have lost.What is more,the BJP has won one seat in Mandya district which is dominated by Vokkaligas,main supporters of the JDS.It has made an inroad into the region which had favoured the JDS most in th past.
Although the BJP had emerged as the largest single party after last Assembly elections with 105 seats in the bag,like Maharashtra but it was denied power by “opportunistic alliance”.The JDS which had bitterly fought against the Congress in these elections joined hands with it post-poll for a price.
H D Kumaraswamy wanted the chief minister’s gaddi and the Congress,willy-nilly agreed to give the position to him.The two parties had fought on many issues but remained together to enjoy powers and privileges.There might not have been a change had 17 legislators not left the coalition.All of them were disqualified by Speaker and barred from seeking election during the remaining period of the House.The Supreme Court had come to their rescue.
While the Court upheld Ramesh Kumar’s disqualification decision,it allowed them to seek re-elections.As cases were pending against two of them,by-elections were held for only 15 seats.The BJP grabbed 12,leaving only two for the Congress and none for the JDS..One seat was bagged by an Independent.
In this light it is not too much if the BJP hopes to come back to power again in Maharashtra.There is not an holy-alliance between the Congress and the Shiv Sena. The two parties have different opinions on many issues.
The CAB is a case in point.During voting on Monday (yesterday) on the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha the Shiv Sena did not go with the Congress and supported the government led by the BJP at the Centre. However it changed on Tuesday and announced that it would oppose it in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.It may be due to pressure from the Congress.
That may increase in months to come,forcing more Shiv Sena supporters go against the party and move towards the BJP. A Karnataka-like situation may be created in Maharashtra.The new development is a wake-up call for the Shiv Sena.
