Photo credit: Arijit Sen

 

The trust vote of the Karnataka coalition government began on July 18, 2019. The numbers were telling. Just a day before the confidence motion was taken up, the Supreme Court said in an interim order that the 17 rebel MLAs of the Congress and JD(S) could not be compelled to attend the House.

From July 18 to 23, MLAs of the coalition government began a war of attrition trying to wear down the BJP’s resolve. Legislator after legislator stood up to criticise the BJP, only to be met with silence. BJP MLAs had been instructed to not say anything and give the coalition reason to delay proceedings further.

After Governor Vajubhai Vala set three deadlines, which were ignored by the House, the final count began late on July 23. The coalition had the confidence of 99 MLAs, excluding the Speaker, and the BJP had the support of 105 MLAs. The coalition fell because 17 rebels, one Independent MLA, a BSP legislator and another Congress MLA stayed away from the House that day.

Two days after the government fell, Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar disqualified 17 rebels, and ordered that were not eligible to return to the House for the remainder of the term of the 15th Assembly, which was set to expire in 2023.

This was a novel interpretation of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, or the anti-defection law, because it did allow disqualified members to seek reelection.

The Supreme Court upheld the disqualifications but ruled that the rebels could contest the byelections to the seats they had vacated. So, in December 2019, 13 rebels contested in the 15 seats that went to the polls. The people of Karnataka voted in 11 of them, all of whom were made ministers in the BJP government. Others have been rehabilitated after they became members of Karnataka’s Upper House.

Featured music:

All music used in this podcast is royalty free and sourced from the www.freemusicarchive.org. Detailed information on the tracks below:

1. Song: Two Pianos / Artist: Tagirijus 

2. Song: Martina and the air plan / Artist: Marco Castelli

3. Song: Delirium / Artist: Ketsa

4. Song: Rewind Hard Trap / Artist: Makaih Beats

5. Song: Rusty Nails / Artist: Movie Theater

 

Congress and JD(S) MLAs address the media outside Raj Bhavan, after meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala

Photo credit: Bangalore News Photos

 

After the drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections of May 2019, the coalition decided to consolidate its position by inducting two Independent MLAs into the council of ministers.

The coalition felt confident, because it had the support of 120 MLAs out of 225 in the Assembly. That was till B Anand Singh opened the floodgates after he resigned as MLA. He was followed by 16 others.

The Independents, not to be left behind, also jumped ship. So the coalition headed into the trust vote on July 18 hanging on by a thread.

Featured music:

All music used in this podcast is royalty free and sourced from the www.freemusicarchive.org. Detailed information on the tracks below:

1. Song: Weep no more / Artist: Dee Yan-Key 

2. Song: Evil Twin / Artist: Movie Theater

 

What drives former chief minister (current chief minister) BS Yediyurappa to go the lengths that he did?

It’s the Budget session in Karnataka in February 2019, and the coalition is wary of the rebellion by four MLAs, who are still missing. But there isn’t much of a threat to the government’s stability.

By March, the Congress and JD(S) coalition has larger things to worry about, like the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress high command has pinned its hopes on the coalition, expecting it to reduce the BJP’s seat tally in the state, where it has won a majority of Lok Sabha seats in the three previous elections.

And yet, the same old questions crop up again. How will the coalition ensure unity in the southern Old Mysuru region, where the Congress and JD(S) are such bitter rivals? Now that the parties have joined hands will their vote shares in the Assembly elections of 2018, which adds up to 55%, automatically consolidate?

Featured music:

All music used in this podcast is royalty free and sourced from the www.freemusicarchive.org. Detailed information on the tracks below:

1. Song: Sidereal / Artist: Freequency Decree 

2. Song: Vintage Beat / Artist: Ketsa 

3. Song: Bottom Feeders / Artist: Audiobinger

4. Song: My Downfall / Artist: Audiobinger 

5. Song: China Dub / Artist: Shaolin Dub

 

Photo credit: Arijit Sen

The new equations in Karnataka have forced many rivals to stop fighting with each other. Old and bitter rivalries are forgotten, at least for the moment, but newer ones crop up very frequently.

The coalition manages to win four out of the five seats for which byelections were held in November 2018. This sets off wild celebrations and a feeling that the government might actually be able to survive.

Such is the sense of security that the coalition’s leaders feel they don’t have to go out of their way to placate four dissident MLAs, who go missing.

Featured music:

All music used in this podcast is royalty free and sourced from the www.freemusicarchive.org. Detailed information on the tracks below:

1. Song: Birds of Prey / Artist: DarkSunn 

2. Song: Algorithms / Artist: Chad Crouch 

3. Song: Chuckin it / Artist: Shaolin Dub

4. Song: Whistle / Artist: BenJamin Banger 

5. Song: Plasticity / Artist: Blue Dot Sessions

 

 

There was no clear winner in the election to the Karnataka Assembly in 2018. All three parties — the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Janata Dal (Secular) — saw a chance to stake a claim and it became a battle of nerves. With just 38 seats in the 225-member state Assembly, the JD(S) returned to a familiar role after a gap of 10 years. Once again, it would decide who would rule in the state.

What followed the election result was a mad scramble to stake claim, as the leaders of the three parties — Siddaramaiah of the Congress, BS Yeddyurappa of the BJP, and HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) — felt they had a chance of becoming chief minister once again.

Featured music:

All music used in this podcast is royalty free and sourced from the www.freemusicarchive.org. Detailed information on the tracks below:

1. Song: Habit / Artist: Nctrnm 

2. Song: Ridin round in Kanedas f****n bike/ Artist: Benjamin 

3. Song: Pianest / Artist: Audiobinger

4. Song: Time passing / Artist: David Hilowitz 

5. Song: Cabaret / Artist: Kai Engel

6. Song: Pumkin spice / Artist: Audiobinger

7. Song: House of lost souls / Artist: Tagirijus