The BJP has learned to fight hard and Congress must get used to it.

As much as the liberal intelligentsia would hate to admit this but the fact is, today’s BJP is entirely different from its olden days. It is not that old party of soft, innocent leaders playing according to morals and rules and who could be mowed down by immoral, unethical, megalomaniac and ruthlessly corrupt Congress. It’s BJP 2.0, an advanced, politically savvy version of BJP. BJP 2.0 believes that morality is between the two moral people not between an immoral and a moral one. Forget the niceties of past, BJP has learned to play the game long perfected by the Congress. It is a goal-oriented organization now, with its eyes set on a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’.

The BJP is doing almost everything to win today’s floor test in Karnataka assembly at 4 PM and continue to be in power in the state. Days of stalemate will most probably end today. After the fractured mandate, the governor, going by the rule book, invited the single largest party to form the government. However, for Congress this was the murder of democracy and Constitution. Ironically, it came from a party which has murdered the democracy and the constitution numerous times just to stay in power. The Congress, at the stroke of midnight, filed a petition against the governor’s decision to invite BS Yeddyurappa to take oath as the next Karnataka CM. The Congress also appealed to stop the swearing-in of Yeddyurappa. However, the apex court rejected their latter demand and took the cognizance of the first appeal and ordered a floor test on 19th May at 4 PM. Hours after Supreme Court ordered floor test, the governor appointed three time BJP MLA KG Bopaiah as pro tem speaker to conduct the trust vote to be moved by the incumbent Karnataka CM BS Yeddyrurappa. Constitutionally, he is appointed “as the person before whom a member of the legislative assembly shall, before taking his seat, make and subscribe an oath or affirmation.” The Congress party again moved to the Supreme Court challenging the governor’s decision terming it ‘encounter of the Constitution’. It is an old habit of the Congress party that if anything does not go by their wish, it is wrong, unconstitutional, murder of democracy, communal, fascist etc.

The Congress wants its RV Deshpande to be appointed as pro tem speaker. The Congress is saying that the governor appointed a much junior BJP MLA as pro tem speaker just to benefit the BJP. KG Bopaiah is a three time MLA whereas RV Deshpande is eight times MLA. Congress here is forgetting one thing that they have herded their MLAs into resort where no one can contact them. Also, if RV Deshpande is appointed as speaker it would be a disadvantage to the Congress as then he won’t be able to cast his vote. In a situation where their MLAs are rebelling, each and every vote becomes important for the Congress. Point to be noted here is that, was KG Bopaiah the senior most MLA in 2008 when he was elected Pro Tem Speaker by UPA appointed Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj?

Again, the hypocrisy of Congress is exposed. HRD minister Prakash Javadekar also rubbished claim of the Congress and said congress is raising a hoax objection.

Both the parties are trying hard to get to the throne of Karnataka. Karnataka is very important for both the parties and that’s why they are trying all the possible means to achieve it. Here, end justifies the mean. As the Niccolo Machiavelli has said, ‘Politics have no relation to morals’. For BJP, Karnataka is a gateway to south Indian politics. For Congress, if it wants to present itself as the strong contender against BJP in 2019 general elections then Karnataka is must to retain by hook or crook. Power in Karnataka would also impact Rajya Sabha numbers. BJP’s number in Rajya Sabha would increase. Four Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka will retire in June, 2020. Only one retiring member is from the BJP. Power in Karnataka would also affect the finances of the parties especially of the Congress. BJP is already way ahead of Congress in terms of income and expenditures. BJP’s victory from here will have reverberations in upcoming elections this year in other states. By emerging as the single largest party in Karnataka, the BJP has made the position of Congress in any anti-BJP alliance, doubtful.  Gone are the days when BJP used to play the nice guy and finish last. It’s ruthless BJP 2.0 and the Congress must get used to it.