The 17th of May 2018 is a date that many in Karnataka, a state in India, will remember. Emerging from a closely contested election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed the government in Karnataka. Though it is the largest party, it does not have the majority required to do so. The incoming Chief Minister BS Yedyyurappa has 15 days to prove his majority. (Yeddyurappa resigned today the 19th of May).
He needs to attract eight newly elected representatives from other political parties to join him.
This is the art of the impossible in Indian politics.
Horse trading is nothing new in India. Over the years, elections and regular politicking have caused political ships to flounder. The picture that comes to mind in the aftermath is of the well known pithy about rodents deserting a sinking ship.
But it is not only self-preservation that makes politics in India the ‘Art of the Impossible’, it is also politicians knowing their weight in gold. This self awareness opens up a‘mandi’ every now and then. So it comes as no surprise that political leaders have carted off their juniors to secure locations to ensure they do not succumb to the apple proffered surreptitiously by the opposition.
Self-preservation and self worth are two sides of the same coin. Power and pelf are the accoutrements that politics provide. One is not speaking of the official perks, recognition and salary that elected officials get.There are other benefits that go along with this vocation which increases when one gets a ministerial berth.
There is another aspect to self-preservation and self worth. It is recognition for being a ‘dedicated party member’. One has often heard of politicians switching allegiance because they were not offered a ticket or a ministerial position post election . This is self preservation kicking in due to a dissonance between how the party sees the politician and how they perceive themself. The politician relocates to another party which promises more.
Gordon Gekko said ‘"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." and many politicians couldn’t agree more. Inspired by Gordon Gekko, many politicians have what is today called an open relationship with ideology.
But it is not only the politicians who live by this revolving door philosophy. Many in the nation sell themselves to the highest bidder. Bankers in Goa have told me that there was a cash crunch in the state because a lot of money was being pumped into the Karnataka elections. Papers have reported of vote-buying going digital in these elections. There are non-monetary methods which have positive socio-economic impacts. Just before the elections the Congress government in Karnataka gave the Lingayat community special minority status. Today, immediately after being sworn in Yeddyruppa waived off farmer loans. However in many instances, willingness to be bought has to do with putting food on the table. The fact is that politicians pave their way to power with the desperation of the common person.
Yedyyurappa trotting out his MLAs to prove his majority will be an interesting moment. The Congress has already identified MLA Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh and Maski MLA Pratap Gowda Patil who may have turned saffron. Others may be induced to come out of their party woodwork. The question at this juncture is how saffron is the colour of money?
Politics in India reduces a mountain to an accessible platform where a buyer and seller can meet. The greedy get a better deal while the desperate are given a pittance. It has been said that money makes the mare go. In the Indian political context it is a succinct explanation to the impossible transformation of a minority government into a majority.
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