Shadow of polls looms large

NEW DELHI, APRIL 22: The prospects of a mid-term poll loomed on the horizon today as the Congress and Mulayam Singh Yadav continued their...

NEW DELHI, APRIL 22: The prospects of a mid-term poll loomed on the horizon today as the Congress and Mulayam Singh Yadav continued their game of brinkmanship over the contours of an alternative government. Neither the Congress seemed willing to give up its claim to lead a minority government nor was Mulayam ready to capitulate on his demand for a Third Front-led Government. Sonia Gandhi8217;s self-imposed two-day deadline expires tomorrow and if she is unable to produce the promised letters of support from 272 MPs, political circles feel there may have no option but to call an election.

It was another day of hectic political activity with meetings galore. The focus of attention was the Mulayam camp, on whose decision rests the fate of the 12th Lok Sabha.

Despite the extraordinary pressure on him from friends and allies in the RLM, and LF, Mulayam seemed determined to hold out till the end. 8220;We know the implications of this statement are mid-term polls. But we will not be blackmailed,8221; his second-in-command Amar Singh told correspondents today.

The Congress saw considerable significance in Mulayam8217;s decision to postpone his evening appointment with the President. He is now scheduled to meet the President tomorrow morning after which he will hold a press conference to announce his decision on supporting a Sonia-led Government.

Political circles see this as a sign that Mulayam is trying to bargain with the Congress till the very end. Although Congress leaders felt that ultimately Mulayam would have no option but to come around because of his dependence on the Muslim vote in UP, they were clearly unnerved by the silence from the Mulayam camp.

The bright spots today for the Congress were the letters of support it received from Jayalalitha and Laloo Yadav. However, similar letters are yet to come from the RSP, FB, BSP and the JD and of course, Mulayam. This means the Congress is well short of its target of 272.

Meanwhile, Left leaders A B Bardhan and Jyoti Basu called on the President today as did Jayalalitha. All of them told the President that they were ready to support the Congress.

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As the numbers game peaks, the TDP today moved swiftly to punish the lone defector from its side, Vijayrama Raju, who a few days ago announced he would vote in favour of the Congress. The party sent a letter to the LS Speaker GMC Balayogi today asking for his disqualification. However, since the process of disqualification will take time, his vote would still be valid if the new govt holds its trust vote next week. Interestingly, Samata Party MP Digvijay Singh today hosted a birthday dinner for former PM Chandra Shekhar who8217;s trying to mobilise opinion against a Sonia-led govt.