Horse trading is not a new development in Indian politics

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SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

18 March, 2011

The recent exposure by Wikileaks that MPs were paid money by the Congress to save the UPA government as well as Indo-US nuclear deal is nothing new. Horse trading has been a part and parcel of Indian politics.

THE WIKILEAKS expose revealing alleged 'buying' of parliamentarians to save Dr Manmohan Singh government at the centre is nothing new in Indian politics.

Though BJP is making a big issue out of this scam it's obvious that horsetrading is a common aspect of India political system.

The BJP itself has tied up in Jharkhand with tainted Shibu Soren, who was accused of similar offence to taste ‘sweet’ fruits of power in the mine-rich state. It is a matter of record and fact that JMM parliamentarians were paid to save the Narasimha Rao government.

Such political games, which involve making and unmaking of governments by purchase of MPs and MLAs is quiet frequent, and in general, in many states, especially in Goa and Jharkhand.

The best solution to this problem is to elect Prime Minister/Chief Ministers by secret and compulsory vote of all members of Lok Sabha through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on nominations signed by at least one-third members.

Such an elected Prime Minister/Chief Minister may be removed by same process but with compulsion of naming alternate leader in the same motion.

Even the Speaker and Deputy Speaker should be elected simultaneously with the Prime Minister/Chief Minister in the same manner. Even ministerial strength can then be practically restricted to ten per cent strength of the Lower House because of automatic abolition of bargains required for ministry formation.