Cong's calculated strategies that helped in Karnataka

It was a do or die situation for the Congress. An election that was more than just a mandate, an election that was a prestige issue for the grand old party and it seems, though nothing can be said before the oath-taking ceremony on Monday, that the Congress-JDS alliance can finally breathe easy.

What unfolded in Karnataka was no less than a nail-biting football match between two arch-rivals. Dribbles, fouls, yellow cards and finally a red card for the BJP, the state saw it all. However, what made the alliance win it was the strategy adopted by it. The alliance’s strategy was man marking in terms of one pre-planned action against every move by the BJP. In all that the state saw, three main events are worth mentioning and examples of calculated politics.

Offer to JDS

Even when the counting wasn’t over, the Congress and JDS announced support for each other. An alliance was made, the announcement was made and allegations of the BJP trying to buy JDS MLAs too were made — all within a small window of a few hours.

So, was it possible to do everything within such a short time? Theoretically yes but practically it is not so easy given that both the Congress and the JDS till yesterday wished to see each other dead. More so as the BJP had much more to offer in terms of power and money.

The coalition was forged a few days ago and in a few media reports, H D Kumaraswamy was quoted that the Congress had approached him two days before the counting. Thus, it was not much of a post-poll alliance.

Midnight plea to stop Yeddyurappa’s swearing in

In a late night drama, the Congress announced that it would knock the doors of the Supreme Court to reverse Governor Vajubhai Vala’s invitation to the single largest party to form a government. Interestingly, the Congress had to approach Chief Justice Dipak Misra to seek permission for an urgent hearing against whom the Congress wished to push an impeachment motion in Parliament.

News channels were busy showing senior Congress leader and noted lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi and his team gearing up to move court, making last-minute checks before filing the plea before the Supreme Court at 2 am.

The very next day, media reports came in that the plea was ready way ahead of the Governor’s invitation to Yeddyurappa in anticipation of the same. While Vala invited Yeddyurappa at 9 pm, the Congress plea was ready by 7 pm. However, the plea had to be changed as the initial one pleaded to allow the single largest party to form a government which clearly shows the Congress had kept all possibilities in mind and was way ahead of the BJP.

Moving SC against pro tem Speaker

Playing like a seasoned chess player, the Congress for the second time approached the Supreme Court against the move to select K G Bopaiah as the pro tem Speaker for the floor test that was to decide who would form a government in the state.

In all that unfolded after the counting was over for the Karnataka election, a major role was played by the Supreme Court of India. With every order, the apex court instilled among the citizens of the country that no matter what, the judiciary will always uphold democracy.

It must be noted that the Supreme Court did not give in to both the Congress pleas but the orders did not even allow the BJP to celebrate.

In the first plea, the Congress asked the Supreme Court to stop Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in but the apex court did not do so. However, it kept the case open and asked Yeddyurappa to furnish the letter submitted to the Governor.

In the second plea of the Congress against the selection of Bopaiah as the pro tem Speaker, the Supreme Court did not stop him from being the Speaker but allowed local media channels to air the floor test live from inside the assembly.

Dejected, the BJP had no other option than to make a walk of shame in the assembly after Yeddyurappa in an emotional speech announced his resignation as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, paving way for the Congress-JDS alliance to form the government.

However, all is not over yet. It is to be kept in mind that the MLAs will have to come out of the resort and the BJP may anytime resort to Operation Kamala 2.0 but for now, it is a moment of celebration for Congress and others who are wary of BJP’s complacency.