Resort Politics

 When elected representatives are shepherded to resorts and hotels sometimes by chartered flights or luxury coaches, it reveals the phenomenon of ‘Resort Politics’ , a reference to the many instances where MLAs are kept in luxury resorts, either to cause or prevent a power upset. The media gives almost a minute-by-minute account, like a ball by ball description of a cricket match. There have been many instances since the mid-80s when MLAs were corralled in hotels or resorts like horses during the period of ‘horse trading’. This can happen when assembly elections throw up a hung house where no party is able to form a government without the help of other party or parties and when there is another contender for power. Resort Politics can also be when dissidence destabilises a government that also results in the opponent or a combination of dissidents and opposition joining hands together to form an alternative government. Most recently, Resort Politics was witnessed in Karnataka in 2018 when the BJP, which was the single largest after the assembly election was asked to form the government by a friendly governor despite not having the numbers. The two-day government resigned before the floor test and the Congress-JDS combine formed the government. However, no sooner had the dust of the Lok Sabha elections settled, Congress rebels reportedly “instigated” by some Congress leaders, fled away to harass the chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. It was a restart to Resort Politics. The game backfired on the Congress as the rebels gravitated to the BJP. Both opposing camps corralled their MLAs to hotels and resorts. It also happened in Maharashtra last year when the assembly election resulted in a hung house. The BJP did not try hard to form the government despite being the single largest party. Its long time ally, the Shiv Sena decided to claim the chief minister’s post. This eventually led the SS to form an unholyalliance with Congress and NCP. In Haryana it was Resort Politics after the assembly election in 2019 when both Congress and BJP corralled their MLAs to prevent horse trading. Resort Politics is again being replayed in Madhya Pradesh where the Congress-led alliance with 120 MLAs in a house of 230 has been reduced to minority after 22 Congress MLAs resigned. The development came on the day senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, decided to dump the Congress and defect to the BJP. The Congress, which was voted to power in the state after 15 years in 2018, had 114 MLAs and the BJP 107 in the 230-member assembly. Two seats are at present vacant. Four Independent MLAs, two of the Bahujan Samaj Party and one Samajwadi Party legislator were with the Congress-led government. The BJP shepherded its Madhya Pradesh MLAs to Gurugram (Haryana where BJP is in power) and Congress took its MLAs to Rajasthan (ruled by Congress). The dissident Congress who are reportedly with Jyotiraditya Scindia are in some resort in Bengaluru (where BJP is in power). Resort Politics is not new to Nagaland MLAs. It was practised in the late 70s and became pronounced since 2014 then 2015 and 2017. Resort Politics needs to be totally eliminated not only as they are highly unethical but also expose the shenanigans who subvert constitutional probity. Perhaps parliament will seriously ponder over it and put an end to this mockery.