The much awaited admission of M.S. Prakash and his followers into the Congress fold is a welcome development. It is bound to improve the chances of Congress in the ensuing elections to the State assembly. In a triangular contest, JD.(S) can only divide the secular vote and help the BJP indirectly as it did in the 2004 polls. But for the division of votes caused by it, BJP would not have won the third largest contingent of MPs (after M.P and Rajasthan) from Karnataka. Unfortunately, fractured verdicts, blackmailing and horse-tradings became the order of the day. Such fragmentation does not augur well for democracy nor for forming a stable government. Karnataka had already suffered and progress stalled when none of the three contenders for power secured enough seats to form government of its own last time.Unethical and unprincipled Coalitions should be avoided at any cost. A clear and unambigous verdict is desirable for effective government. In any case a party like BJP with its exclusive, fundamentalist and hidden agenda should be shunned as much as personality and caste-oriented party like JD (S).
