PARAGRAPH,WORDS AND MEANINGS

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Topic Of The Day:-“The Governor’s Options

The Governor of Karnataka saw and may well have felt somewhat like this: If only Party One had just crossed the halfway mark and got a simple majority, his task would have been simple. He would have called its leader to form the government. But that did not happen. The people of Karnataka voted in greater strength against Party Number One than for it.

If only Party Two and Party Three had entered the election as a joint team, in what is called a pre-poll alliance, his work would again have been simple. He would have had to call that two-coloured rainbow to name its leader and invite him to take the oaths of office. But that too did not happen. The majority of the people of Karnataka voted against the BJP but they did not vote cohesively for the Congress-JD(S) combine.

So, the Governor did not get it all that simple. But was what he did get all that complicated? Not really.

Though not a pre-poll alliance, Parties Two and Three did get together with a verve and vim they did not show before the elections to become one, and not only drew up a joint list of the newly elected MLAs to be but also chose a joint leader, unconditionally. There is nothing in any electoral law or court verdict to say that a post-poll alliance is ab initio null, void and to be disregarded. True, a pre-poll alliance is a neater, more up-front arrangement, but a post-poll one is not out of order.

The numbers in Karnataka were clear. They showed the people’s integrated will, albeit in two frames hinged together requiring Parties Two and Three to be asked to form the government and seek the approval of the House by its users on its floor. If defeated, then ask Party One to try its luck. That has not happened.

Had Party Two and Party Three not come together post-poll, Governor Vajubhai Vala could have ignored the fact that the non-BJP MLAs outnumber the BJP MLAs — and left it to the Chief Minister or the putative leader of the House to navigate his majority through the first confidence vote. But he has decided and that is that.

What now? With the two parties having come together, and out-numbering the BJP MLAs, the real test of their political integrity lies in their staying together and defeating the Yeddyurappa government in the first confidence vote. There is only one way in which they can do that. And that is by staying together, staying determined, and voting on vote day unitedly. Will they let their unity and determination, numerical strength, numerical integrity de diminished?

How may that be done? We know the way that happens.

MEANINGS AND WORDS

1) Aesthetic

Meaning: Relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty.

Example: “The new building has little aesthetic value/appeal”  

2) Precision

Meaning: The quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate.

Example: “The deal was planned and executed with military precision”  

Synonyms: Exactness, Accuracy

3) Obelus

Meaning: A mark (– or ÷) used in ancient manuscripts to mark a word or passage as spurious, corrupt or doubtful.

4) Beholder

Meaning: A person who sees or observes someone or something.

Example: “The building and landscape can elicit imaginative responses from the beholder”  

5) Retained

Meaning: Continue to have (something); keep possession of.

Example: “Labour retained the seat”  

Synonyms: Keep, Hang on

Antonyms: Lose, Abolish

6) Integrity

Meaning: The condition of being unified or sound in construction.

Example: “The structural integrity of the novel”  

Synonyms: Soundness, Strength

Antonyms: Fragility

7) Dwell

Meaning: Live in or at a specified place.

Example: “Groups of gypsies still dwell in these caves”

Synonyms: Reside, Live

8) Alliance

Meaning: A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.

Example: “A defensive alliance between Australia and New Zealand”  

Synonyms: Association, Union

9) Oaths

Meaning: A solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one’s future action or behaviour.

Example: “They took an oath of allegiance to the king”  

Synonyms: Vow, Pledge

10) Cohesively

Meaning: United and working together effectively.  

Example: “A cohesive group”

11) Verve

Meaning: Vigour and spirit or enthusiasm.

Example: “Kollo sings with supreme verve and flexibility”

Synonyms: Enthusiasm, Vigour

12) Vim

Meaning: Energy; enthusiasm.

Example: “In his youth he was full of vim and vigour”  

13) Drew up

Meaning: To prepare something, usually something official, in writing.

Example: “I’ve drawn up a list of candidates that I’d like to interview”  

14) Verdict

Meaning: A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.

Example: “The jury returned a verdict of not guilty”  

Synonyms: Judgement, Adjudication

15) Ab initio

Meaning: From the beginning.

Example: “The agreement should be declared void ab initio”  

Synonyms: Initially, Originally  

16) Disregarded

Meaning: Pay no attention to; ignore.

Example: “The body of evidence is too substantial to disregard”

Synonyms: Ignore, Discount

Antonyms: Heed, Pay attention to

17) Poll

Meaning: The process of voting in an election.

Example: “The country went to the polls on March 10”

Synonyms: Vote, Ballot

18) Albeit

Meaning: Though.

Example: “He was making progress, albeit rather slowly”  

19) Hinged

Meaning: Depend entirely on.

Example: “The future of the industry could hinge on the outcome of next month’s election”

Synonyms: Depend, Rest

20) Putative

Meaning: Generally considered or reputed to be.

Example: “The putative father of her children”  

21) Navigate

Meaning: Travel on a desired course after planning a route.

Example: “He taught them how to navigate across the oceans”

22) Diminished

Meaning: Make or become less.

Example: “The new law is expected to diminish the government’s chances”  

Synonyms: Decrease, Decline

Antonyms: Increase, Flare up

23) Ideology

Meaning: A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

Example: “The ideology of republicanism”  

Synonyms: Doctrine, Creed

24) Imponderables

Meaning: A factor that is difficult or impossible to estimate or assess.

Example: “There are too many imponderables for an overall prediction”  

25) Imperil

Meaning: Put at risk of being harmed, injured, or destroyed.

Example: “They advised against tax increases for fear of imperilling the recovery”

Synonyms: Endanger, Risk