Not succeeding in being able to form the government in Karnataka, a disgruntled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will observe the swearing-in ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday as “anti-people’s mandate Day” across the state. The BJP has termed the present alliance between the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] and the Congress as “unholy” and “subversion of people’s mandate.” However, this decision of the party is contrary to their stance in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya where the BJP formed governments in spite of not being the single largest party. Or, should the BJP see the swearing-in as nothing but déjà vu?
Governor Najma Heptulla invited the BJP instead of the Congress to form the government in Manipur last year. Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats. But the BJP with 21 seats got the support of other parties after the poll and reached the figure of 31 in the 60-member Assembly. Heptulla said, “I am a very straightforward person and I go by the book. The BJP has requisite numbers. They have more than 30 and that is enough.”
In another instance, when the decision of the governor in Goa in 2017 was taken to the court, the BJP had argued that it is not mandatory for the governor to invite the single largest party. The Congress had 17 seats while the BJP had 13. Interestingly, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had then argued that the governor was constitutionally right to invite the largest coalition to form the government. The BJP finally formed the government in Goa with Manohar Parrikar was sworn-in as the chief minister. The Supreme Court set a date for the floor test and the BJP won.
In Meghalaya, the BJP, with just two seats managed to form a coalition government. National People’s Party (NPP)-led alliance of three other regional parties along with the BJP formed the government in Meghalaya. The BJP got the support of 34 legislators. The ruling alliance is headed by the NPP which has 19 seats and comprises the United Democratic Party (6 seats), People’s Democratic Front (4 seats), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (2 seats), BJP (2) and one Independent.
Following the major upset it suffered in Karnataka, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the Congress and JD(S) had formed an “unholy alliance” to subvert the people’s mandate. The party also said the alliance was full of “inherent contradictions”.
However, the BJP’s own alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir is an example of those contradictions.
Following the resignation of two BJP ministers, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on April 15 had warned that the Valley was headed for “chaos” if measures were not taken to contain the anger and discontent of its youth.
Mufti has often made statements even after the alliance formed the government in the state that put the BJP in a spot.
“Who is doing it? Why are they doing it? (challenging the Article 35-A). Let me tell you that my party and other parties who carry the national flag there (in Jammu and Kashmir) despite all risks…. I have no doubt in saying that there will be no one to hold it (national flag) (if it is tinkered),” Mufti said while commenting on Article 35-A at a Delhi event last year.
TDP and BJP have a completely different opinion on Burhan Wani.
“These children, who have gone, I promise you I will not let their sacrifice go waste,” Mufti had said on Buhan Wani during TDP’s 17th Foundation Day. She clearly differed from the BJP on the issue. “Security agencies say they suspected three militants were hiding without knowing who they were. Had I known about him (Wani), I would have given him a second chance in the wake of ongoing economic activity, improving the situation and booming tourism,” Mufti added.
Yet in spite of the differences, keeping the moral contradictions aside, both the parties are sitting at the helm of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Even on the social media, people slammed the BJP. Some of the tweets are:
Just wondering the same BJP which murdered People's mandate in Goa, Manipur & Meghalaya
— Bilal Ahmed (@BilalAhmedNgp) May 22, 2018
Anti people's mandate day 😁😁😁,what day is that?? Well who's innovation is this, Amit ji's or madhav's
— Sajeev Sreenivasan (@SajeevSreeniva2) May 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/myself_aayush/status/999110159359250432
https://twitter.com/AnyCommon_Man/status/999065914380173312
https://twitter.com/SALMANAQUIB/status/999064962390638592