Indians’ mock war on corruption crossed yet another murky milestone in its jinxed journey to Destination Nowhere. With Karnataka voters at once rejecting, retaining and ratifying it, corruption has again turned out to be poll-proof and quite resilient. And has the advantage of arithmetic too. The familiar There Is No Alternative (TINA) argument also falls flat what with the corrupt getting positive votes. I get this gloomy feeling that there might afterall be a bright future for MSingh!
That this is a consummate defeat for the BJP is not in doubt. Factionalism and frequent change of CMs had wrought havoc with governance, while Yeddy’s and Reddys’ scams put to nought the party’s campaign against the Cong, in the State as well as nationally. Slipping from its only southern State is a debacle that instantly places the BJP back by a few notches on the national number stakes. If the party could resist its immediate temptation to take back Yeddy, it might salvage some image in the larger battle next year.
That Yeddy has managed to corner close to 10% vote-share is a bad omen. He was the face of BJP’s corruption and singularly helped disparate activists hijack the national anti-corruption platform from the party. Having thus caused irreparable damage, he then quit the BJP, promising to play spoiler. His egoist boast now about his nuisance value is as true as it is tragic. Now, how did such a person manage to get so many votes, enough to ensure defeat for one and victory for another?
Doubtless, they are ‘his’ voters, who knew he would not become CM and still voted for him. Ditto with the votes and victories of Reddy Brothers that indicate a positive support for them. Now, any anti-incumbency should have favoured Cong, which did not happen in a big way. Clearly, caste, cronyism and control over chosen constituencies have overruled corruption of these characters. The point is, those voters might have voted the same way even if there were good alternatives. And this is a national phenomenon that helps many a sleazy regional satrap hold sway. Long live the corrupt!
That the BJP deserved to lose in no way vindicates the Cong’s right to rule. Rather, it is the tragedy of Yeddy’s 10% that has also caused the travesty of Cong victory. This arithmetic accident of an absolute majority is apparent from the meagre addition of 1.8% to its earlier vote count, a damp squib considering the raging anti-incumbency. But that seems enough for Cong to launch into moralising mode on corruption and governance. People of K’taka have voted for stability, we are told. One wonders how such sweeping conclusions are gleaned from just a shift of 1.8%! Are we then to believe that the anti-Cong voters who approximate 64%, albeit divided, are united in not wanting stability? Rather, is it not the utter stupidity of the first-past-the-post electoral system that is conclusively on parade once again?
But there is this bigger boast from the Cong leadership that the people have rejected the campaign against it on corruption. Are the proceedings in and strictures of the Supreme Court malicious and imaginary? Indeed, the party has not only showed an alarming immunity to even SC, but also betrayed its weakness for scandals by ending the Parli session two days in advance against all norms to escape from opposition attack! The PM’s Cabinet of skeletons is wide open and overflowing.
So, what are the take-aways from K’taka?
Cong: The rich reap of seats hides the sordid reality of a shoddy voteshare, which too could wane as disenchantment rises in proportion to scam trends. Still, MSingh & Co have hope and must trust electoral democracy and intra-BJP politics to deliver another term to them!
BJP: Rid the party of factionalism and corrupt elements before new Yeddys rear their heads. But important, rally behind Modi, the only person who can deliver for the party and country on both anti-corruption and governance.
Yeddy & his ilk: Hold their fort and they are king-makers, pre or post-poll! Weak national parties can be shaken, stirred and stuck up for any bargain!
Voter: That black mark on the index finger is a sign of sin any which way he/she votes, but has still to be suffered.
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