The netas aspiring to the form the government have done what they had to do. After showing their strength before the governor of Karnataka, they have returned to their respective homes and now await a final decision by the governor and the Union Cabinet on the issue.
It is clear that the final game will now be played by the Union Cabinet and the governor.
After both the Janata Dal-Secular and the Bharatiya Janata Party paraded their legislators at Raj Bhavan and said that they had 126 MLAs in the 226 member House, Governor Rameshwar Thakur sent a report to the Union Cabinet.
The report, according to sources, does not state that an alternate government can be formed in Karnataka.
All it mentions is that 126 MLAs had given their letter of support to form the government and the Union Cabinet will have to act in accordance with law.
However, the actions by the governor do not give inkling that a government will be formed too soon in Karnataka.
On Saturday, a few hours after both the JD-S and the BJP handed over letters to the governor staking a claim to form the government, a team of advisors had been appointed to run the state.
The governor appointed three advisors who have been given separate portfolios to handle. The advisors are P P Prabhu, S Krishna Kumar and P K H Tharakan.
There are questions being raised as to why the governor had not invited the BJP to form the government.
Legal experts point out that the governor had initially recommended dissolution of the House.
However, the Union Cabinet had decided to keep it under suspended animation so that an alternate government could be formed.
When this is the case, then the governor can only write to the Centre about the present situation and it is the latter that have to decide on the next course of action.
Former advocate general A N Jayram said now that the House has been placed under suspended animation, the governor cannot summon the Assembly and direct a floor test.
Moreover, it is not only the numbers which count over here. The governor has to be satisfied that a stable government can be formed.
The point being driven across by legal experts is that none of the political parties can crib that they have not been given an opportunity to form the government.
The case is very different when the House is under suspended animation. There are lot of pros and cons to weigh over here.
It should not be as though the governor invites a party to form the government only to see it falling in the next couple of months.
Experts say that the governor has done the right thing at the moment. He has not jumped to any conclusions and is exploring every possibility to ensure that a stable government is formed in Karnataka.
