After the thumping victory in Andhra Pradesh, the Congress on Tuesday not only counted its allies in hand, but also those in the bush, opening informal channels to talk to ‘‘secular, non-NDA parties’’ like the Samajwadi Party.The party insisted that the sweep in Andhra Pradesh indicated similar results in the Lok Sabha polls and used the ‘feel good’ factor to assert that the Congress-led secular coalition would form the government after May 13, when Lok Sabha results are due.Party president Sonia Gandhi today presided over the strategy committee meeting of senior party leaders where it was decided that the party’s primary task should be to ‘‘protect’’ the secular coalition from possible poaching.Therefore, the Congress today remained as evasive as ever on the issue of leadership but stated that it would be a ‘‘non-NDA, Congress-led secular government.’’ The party was also grappling with the constitutional issue of who would get the first chance to form the government in case of a hung Lok Sabha. While one line of thought is that the single largest formation, which would be the NDA, could be invited first by the President to form the government, another line could be that the party that can form the ‘‘most viable’’ alternative could be called first.Though there are precedents to both situations, the Congress is hoping it would be the latter than the former. Keeping in touch with its allies today, Sonia met CPI(M) leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet in the morning. In Mumbai, AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharastra had breakfast with NCP chief Sharad Pawar while Kamal Nath, the general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, was in touch with DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, and other allies.Earlier in the day, party leader Ambika Soni said that Sonia ‘‘is authorised’’ to take any steps she deems fit for bringing together the secular parties.The party is seriously concerned with the NDA trying to cut into the secular coalition to get the required numbers. On that count, the Congress feels that its pre-poll allies, including Sharad Pawar, would not want to cross over.‘‘There is an attempt to neutralise the ability of the Congress to keep the coalition together. The AP results have only given confidence to Congress and allies of a good showing,’’ a senior leader said. Citing the AP results, the party today stressed that BJP’s ‘Brand Atal’ has been rejected by the people.Soni said: ‘‘The BJP had sought to make it a contest not between political parties but between individuals. The Congress president led the campaign and also campaigned with leaders of the alliance.’’ On why the party was shying away from naming a leader of the secular front, she said: ‘‘Because the results are not yet out.’’
