SC Order Reducing 15-Day Time Was Game Changer: Abhishek Singhvi

Abhishek Manu Singhvi is one of the Cong’s legal brains who fought a battle to prevent BJP from capturing Karnataka.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

(Photo: ANI)

Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the Supreme Court’s order to shorten the time given to BS Yeddyurappa to prove majority in a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly, proved to be a game changer. Singhvi is one of the Congress’ legal brains who fought a battle to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party from capturing Karnataka.

The governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Vala, had asked Yeddyurappa to prove a majority on the floor of the House in 15 days, a time period sufficient for the BJP to buy the votes of MLAs from other parties. Following this, Singhvi filed a petition in the top court challenging this invitation.

In the recently-concluded Karnataka polls, the BJP emerged as the single largest party but failed to secure a majority. The Congress and JD(S) formed a post-poll alliance which secured clear majority, and yet the governor extended an invitation to the BJP to form a government. This, despite reverses in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya, where, despite emerging as the single largest party, the BJP was able to form the government with post-poll allies, Singhvi told Hindustan Times.

Definitely, the SC order changed the game. The bench married harmoniously both principle and pragmatism. We also, rightly, accepted the offer.

Abhushek Manu Singhvi to <i>HT</i>

He added: “The bench asked me specifically (on Thursday) whether I would like to discuss the whole matter in 3-4 days or you can cut it short and let there be a trust vote in two days. I agreed. Otherwise, where would it have led us? We were sure of the numbers but the BJP would have taken away some of our MLAs. I told court that it is unheard of that a governor gives 15 days in such a context.”

On Friday, 18 May, the top court asked Yeddyurappa to face a trust vote by 4 pm the next day. Shortly after, he resigned without facing a trust vote.

The Supreme Court’s order has put paid to all possible attempts of over-adventurist political acrobatics which had become almost a norm...But above all that, I can sense a feeling of positivity. We were able to give the opponent a run for their money the moment the Supreme Court, against all odds, called us on the night (of Thursday) for hearing (on a petition to stop the swearing-in of Yeddyuprappa, which the court denied). I am not talking of results or consequences, the mere act of first evaluating the urgency of our petition and then holding the hearing changed the entire spirit and ambience both in Karnataka and here.&nbsp;

Abhishek Manu Singhvi to <i>HT</i>