[Marxistindia] Karnataka Polls: Stop this `Horse Trading' by BJP

[news from the cpi(m)]

May 16, 2018

Press Statement

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the
following statement:

 

Karnataka Polls: Stop this `Horse Trading' by BJP

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly opposes the time being given to the
BJP to indulge in naked `horse trading' and the use of money power to muster
a majority in the Karnataka Assembly when the officially declared results
have shown that the BJP does not have a majority in the recently-concluded
elections.

 

The Governors appointed during the current BJP government's tenure have, in
the past, followed the principle of swearing in a government on the basis of
post-election arrangement between parties which have a majority in the
Assembly. In the elections to the Goa Assembly in March 2017, which has a
strength of 40, the Congress won 17 while the BJP won 13.  The BJP, however,
was invited to form the government after a post-election  coalition with
other parties.  Likewise, in the Manipur Assembly elections in 2017, which
has a strength of 60, Congress had won 28 and BJP won 21 seats. But BJP was
asked to form the government on the basis of a post-poll arrangement.  In
the elections to Meghalaya Assembly in March 2018, out of the total strength
of 60, Congress had 21 while the BJP had only 2.  The BJP, however, was
invited to form the  government  by the Governor on the basis of a post-poll
arrangement which showed a majority.  

 

In this instance in Karnataka, post-poll Congress-Janata Dal (Secular)
alliance has a clear majority in the Assembly of 222 MLAs elected.  The same
principle must be adopted in Karnataka like it was done in the above state
elections and the Chief Minister-designate of the post-poll coalition must
be  sworn-in  and asked to prove the majority on the floor of the House in
accordance with the verdicts of the Supreme Court immediately.  Delaying
this would only mean that the Constitutional office of the Governor is being
misused to buy time for naked `horse trading'.  This is blatantly
anti-democratic.

 

 

 

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