The sudden postponement on Wednesday of a joint session of Parliament, less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to meet on Thursday, indicates that the government had taken to heart its loss twice on Tuesday when it was narrowly defeated in two votes on private members’ bills. It also indicated that the government was unsure about who exactly had voted against it. The opposition did not muster an absolute majority against the government, but it seems that the government was no longer sure that it could ensure the passage of legislation in the joint session, as its Senators may well be skittish, and there is no certainty that they will vote thew party line.
The inability to identify those who switched indicates that both of two possibilities are open. First, that all the allies did not vote with the government. Second, that some of the PTI’s own members may have switched sides. Neither of the bills voted on would have threatened the government, and indeed it is not as if the bills were passed; they were merely referred to committee. Still, that was a serious defeat, and might well have indicated that those made to support the government by those forces on which the government had learnt to rely to pull its chestnuts out of the fire, were no longer pressed. Those forces had not only given the PTI ‘electable’ candidates, but had delivered it its allies. In that case, the government would have had difficulty cobbling together a joint sitting majority.
The government has to undertake two things. First, it needs to work on its whipping. Of course, the whips cannot do their job of persuading members and allies to stay in line unless they know who voted against them. Second, it should consider a departure. After all, though the only legislation that the government absolutely has to pass is the budget, which is not due until next June, but the government is now merely an executive, and lacks the ability to legislate.If it feels satisfied with holding office, it can carry on till then. However, there is now another danger: the opposition may bring a no-confidence motion. In that event, even abstentions will count as votes against. There can only be so many postponements. Sooner or later, the government will have to face its fears.
