Page 19 - Tehelka-May18

CoverStory politics

Kumaraswamy alleged BJP is third time
that BJP offered JD(S) lucky despite lower
MLAs `100 crore percentage of votes

After a record 72.13% Modi in Gujarat gave the Congress the confidence to liance with Congress at national level. Mamata, the first was the need of the hour to defeat the BJP but advised
to bat for the secular alliance between Congress and JDS,
the Congress to be more “realistic and accommodative
elect him to the post of party president. Since then,
voter turnout in the party is eyeing the leadership of the anti-BJP tweeted that had it been a Congress-JDS alliance, results of regional parties”. The CPI blamed the Congress for its
failure to take the “initiative to forge secular forces’ unity”
coalition, which is yet to take a formal shape. Many
would have been very different.
Karnataka, the opposition leaders including NCP supremo Sharad few states that include Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, because of their “over-confidence”. CPI general secretary
The proposed coalition has other problems too. In
Suvarna Reddy said if the post-poll “wisdom of unity” had
Pawar and senior socialist leader Sharad Yadav had
Election commission lent their support to the idea of creating a Congress- Congress is fighting against regional parties. Sending out prevailed before the elections, Congress and JDS could
a message for the grand old party of India, Banerjee em-
have produced better numbers together.
led anti-BJP front to take on Narendra Modi’s party in
The usual practice is for the governor to call the leader
announced that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. phasised on the need for national parties to recognise the of the single largest party or pre-poll alliance to form the
significance of regional players in the evolving political
Unfortunately, the latest Karnataka results may
congress notched hurt the prospective proposition. Now, Congress may scenario. “India is a vast country. Every state has their own government, and in the event of a hung Assembly, asks
identity. National parties have to consider the regional as-
him to prove the majority on the floor of the House. The
not be able to vie for the leadership of the proposed
Constitution empowers a Governor to appoint a chief
anti-BJP coalition for the 2019 general election. An
piration and regional expectation of the people. Both Con-
38% of votes as indirect attack has already come from West Bengal gress and BJP must realise this,” she said. minister, but remains silent on the order or precedence
in case of a fractured mandate.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been work-
The Left, among the biggest proponents of opposition
against BJp’s 36.2% ing for an alliance of all the regional parties to defeat unity, had welcomed the Congress’ decision to support letters@tehelka.com
the saffron party. She has been trying to form an al-
JD(S). CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said this
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