Governor Vajubhai Vala holds key to power in Karnataka

With the BJP falling tantalisingly short of the simple majority mark of 112 to form the government in Karnataka, all eyes are on the next move of Governor Vajubhai Vala, an old BJP hand, and a former finance minister of Gujarat who had worked closely with then Chief Minister Narendra Modi for years.

The Congress-JD(S) combine staked claim to form the government in Karnataka within minutes of the results being announced. 

The BJP too is expected to follow suit. It remains to be seen if Vala sticks to convention and invites the single largest party, or gives an opportunity to the post-poll coalition to form the government. But one thing is sure, he will be in the thick of things for the next few days.

Now 80, Vala was appointed as the Governor of Karnataka in August 2014, a few months after Narendra Modi stormed to power in New Delhi. He was serving as Gujarat Assembly speaker since January 2013 before being sent to the southern state.

Vala represented the state assembly for seven consecutive terms, from 1985 to 2014, when he was appointed the governor. While he was known for his sense of humour and witty jibes, he was also seen as an able but strict administrator. He has presented the state’s budget 18 times, a record of sorts for all states.

Both Modi and Vala come from RSS background, and had worked together before their BJP days. In fact, it was Vala who vacated the Rajkot West assembly seat in 2002 to facilitate Modi’s election to the assembly, after being appointed as CM in 2001. In the subsequent elections, Modi shifted to Maninagar constituency, and Vala was re-elected from Rajkot West.