Post-defeat, UPA allies turn heat on Congress

The Congress’s crushing defeat in the assembly elections could see the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) unravel as alliance partners begin to put pressure on it.

 

Internally the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which shares power in the Maharashtra government is already flush with sly triumph. “What has happened is the best thing possible – now the equilibrium in the alliance will be better” said a central minister from the NCP. 

 

Within the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) too, a big lobby that does not want to ally with the Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections has already begun to say quite vocally that the party should explore its options with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without further ado.

“Who will want to ally with us now in this kind of environment?" said a senior member of the Congress from Tamil Nadu.

 

All this does not bode well for the ongoing winter session of Parliament. A top official who did not want to be identified said the scheduling of the session of Parliament is entirely the prerogative of the government. If the government decides to extend the winter session, a demand made by the opposition, it will be the surest sign that Lok Sabha elections will be advanced.

 

However, he added that he did not detect any signs of any such move.