The present coalition government in Karnataka has been playing a game ever since it came into existence. It has kept everyone guessing & the rumor mills have worked overtime. Will it happen? Will it not happen? Who will not make it happen? So many questions but the answers are no where in sight. About 2 weeks remain for the JD (S) party to transfer the power to BJP. The big question is will the transfer happen.

The below headlines compiled from various online news portals is an indication of how things have been in the recent past.

“Kumaraswamy foresees smooth transfer of power in Karnataka”
“Power transfer unlikely fears BJP”
“Karnataka CM can’t decide power transfer to BJP on his own: JD(S)”
“Stage set for transfer of power to BJP”
‘Transfer of power not easy”
“BJP expresses anguish over issue of ‘Transfer of power”
“JD-S-BJP rift widens in Karnataka ahead of power transfer”
“Karnataka power transfer drama enters last act”

If one thought things would be clear now, comes the twist. The latest headline reads “No comment on transfer of power till September 28”. So that keeps us guessing again.

And we the people who have voted for these parties can’t do much but remain mute spectators. The fact of the matter is in roughly 2 weeks time we will see headlines either saying Yes or No. If it is a Yes then we can all forget about it but what if it is a No. Will there be a re-election? Will JD (S) continue in power? Will BJP team up with someone else? It is anybody’s guess. Also to be seen is how much money will change hands & which resort will become the home of the MLA’s we voted for, to prevent them from horse trading.

Yet another headline reads, “Karnataka’s ‘entertaining’ power transfer chaos”. Truly it has been that in every sense. It’s got everything to make a movie out of it. It is also sad that the powers that be who govern this state have absolutely no regard what so ever to the people of this state because of who they are up there. What we need is a government that will make this state the best in the country. The latest State of the States report by magazine India Today ranks Karnataka as 7th. The previous 4 years Karnataka has consistently maintained the 8th position, so the one step higher is not much to cheer about. Also disappointing is that Karnataka is nowhere in the top five ranks under individual categories like Agriculture, Investment Environment, Primary Education, Infrastructure, Consumer Market and Budget & Prosperity. Where it is in the top five is only two areas that of Law & Order (at a good No. 3) & Primary Health (at No. 4).

Clearly there is a lot more work to be done. It would indeed get done only if our dear legislators are clear that the state & its development comes first before their individual self or parties that they are affiliated to. Hopefully come the 28th of September this long drawn out game will end in an anti climax, that of the power being transferred & the business of governance continuing without any break.