Letter to BS: Are MP voters mature enough to defeat the defectors?

This refers to “BJP back in MP; the real battle begins now” (March 23). There is not an iota of doubt that due to the sheer mishandling of the state’s political affairs by an ageing Congress, the outgoing CM Kamal Nath (pictured) has handed the power to “Kamal” (lotus, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s or BJP’s election symbol). The new government would, in all likelihood, be led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. With rebel Congress MLAs crossing over to the BJP and Jyotriaditya Scindia’s big-ticket entry into the saffron camp, the turncoats would get BJP ticket as and when elections happen. Thanks to loopholes in the anti-defection law, the Supreme Court was forced to make the Speaker accept the resignation of rebel MLAs. The law does not have a provision that unless the rebels from the ruling party — who join the Opposition to topple the elected government — get re-elected within three months (instead of six months) on the ticket of the other party, the minority government should be allowed to continue. In such a scenario, one wonders whether the voters in MP are mature enough to defeat the defectors in the by-elections. Unless voters reject defectors, the toppling game would continue and India cannot claim to a vibrant and mature democracy. N Nagarajan  Secunderabad

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg 

New Delhi 110 002 

Fax: (011) 23720201  ·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.in

All letters must have a postal address and telephone number