Time to worry

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami remains the biggest worry for the Congress leadership as it calculates the timing of the election to its advantage in the event of the Left withdrawing support from the UPA Government over Indo-US nuclear deal. The ruling party was not particularly impressed with the CEC for his decision to advance the Assembly election in Himachal Pradesh and for the haste in conducting elections in Karnataka. Such is the anxiety in the ruling camp that leaders believe that if the Left were to withdraw support in July, Gopalaswami could 8220;even hold election by August 318221;. Even in the best of scenarios for the Congress, the CEC would most likely club the Parliamentary election with Assembly elections in four states in November, even before the feel-good factor can set in post-monsoon. Ideally, the Congress would prefer elections around February, but is not sure about what the Election Commission may decide in case of any instability in the present arrangement. 8220;Besides,8221; quipped a senior Congress leader, 8220;the two Election Commissioners are also not that reliable.8221;