The Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru has been busy for the last two days with the politicians from three parties making a beeline to meet the Governor.
After multiple meetings with the BJP, JD(S) and Congress, Governor Vajubhai Vala has invited the BJP, led by their Legislature Party leader BS Yeddyurappa, to form the next government in Karnataka.
If the swearing in does take place, then Yeddyurappa will have to prove his numbers in the Assembly and a floor test will have to be held. The Governor has given him 15 days to seek a vote of confidence.
The Governor's decision will be challenged by the Congress in a court of law as the party says they should have been given the first right to form the government since they, along with the JD(S) had more MLAs on their side.
Many Congress leaders have also pointed out that the SC judgement in the Goa Assembly case gives them hope that the coalition with the largest number can be invited to form the government.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, CM-hopeful HD Kumaraswamy said, "We brought to the Governor's notice that in Meghalaya, Goa and Manipur, Congress was single largest party but Governors there allowed alliance partners with the highest number of MLAs to stake claim. When the BJP is 9 numbers short of the halfway mark in Assembly, what right do they have to form the government?"
The Congress and JD(S) have also said that they were worried about Governor Vala's close ties with the BJP and RSS, and had requested him to take a neutral stand.
Vajubhai Vala, a two-time BJP President, had vacated his Assembly seat in Rajkot West when Narendra Modi contested his first election in Gujarat in 2001.
He has served as Finance Minister in Modi's Gujarat cabinet and was his trusted lieutenant. He was also Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly.
By themselves, the BJP can win a floor test if they manage to bring down the strength of the House on the day of voting to 206. The halfway mark then becomes 103 -- and they can sail through with their party men. On the other hand, if they manage to get one of the two independents to join them, they will need the strength of the House to be 208 -- and if they get both the independents to join them, they will need the number of members present and voting to be 210. That means they'll need anywhere between 11 and 15 members of Congress and JD(S) to either be absent from the House during the floor test, or to abstain from the vote.