The voters ought to be stumped.

On one hand, you have the likes of JD(S), people who have taken betrayal to another level. True, HD Kumarasamy showed promise when he first got to office, but subsequent events - especially in the last three months - have ruined the little good work done by his government.

On the other, is Yediyurrappa. Now, these days, when you think of the BJP leader, one word comes to mind - pity. But honestly, is a Yediyurrappa-BJP government going to help the state? For one, BSY has little or no vision to compliment his passion. And the BJP are far from secular, which explains the Hindtuva wave running in Karnataka post-formation. Umm, pray tell me, what does a ‘volunteer’ organization like the Sangh have to do with a government forming in a secular nation, in alliance with a secular party? Apparently, these issues irked Gowda, and let’s he honest, as far as secular values are concerned, it pains me to say this, but Devegowda has a point.

Does it mean you bring down the government? No. Well, not unless you’re a power-grabbing slut, which is exactly what HD is.

The BJP cited Gujarat as an example for Karnataka, and Narendra Modi’s presence only worsened the situation for the ‘coalition’, although I must agree with BSY on that account - the Gujarat mention was obviously made in the context of development and not communalism. It surprises me that people thought otherwise. I doubt if Yediyurrappa, yet to break his CM virginity, has the balls to suggest a Hindu initiative in Karnataka on similar lines to that of Gujarat. Highly unlikely.

And finally, the dormant Congress. Within the JD(S), senior leaders - the likes of MP Prakash, a man whom I respect - has shown inclination to tie up with the Congress. The JD(S) have shown an obvious intent to form a coalition with the Congress now, understandably, because if we head towards elections, you can be rest assured that there would be serious backlash from the voters.

The JD(S)-BJP coalition was never destined to work anyway. One party is slyly secular, the other is honestly communal. The Congress, in the past, has failed. Given these facts, who the heck to we vote for?

Irrespective of what happens in the state, from the way events are unfolding now, one thing is absolutely certain: as long as Devegowda breathes, Karnataka will never have a stable government. It shocks me to suggest this, and I might be hitting the depths of helplessness here, but there is no one, I repeat, no one in the state who can keep the Supremo quiet.

It disappoints me further to record that we, the voters, are now simply helpless. Catch-22. Of what use is a democracy when the people are left powerless?

It’s only appropriate that we pick the lesser of the two evils. And it sucks that we resort to such a choice for our leaders.