Everyone wants to be PM

By O J George

The grand Indian election circus would conclude in May and the results would be out on May 16.

No party or dispensation would secure the magic mark of a simple majority in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament.

Then the substitute arrangement would be to call in the party which gets the largest number of seats. The Congress Party and the BJP are hoping against hopes to reach the 150 mark. Then other parties would come to the aid of either and a broader bandwagon of regime would be in place.

Incidentally, the politically weak President Prathibha Patil would have her best opportunity to put her foot down for the first time, if the need arises in selecting an incumbent government from permutations and combinations.

BJP’s L K Advani has been a contender for the PM’s post for a long time. If at all there is a threat from Narendra Modi, that has been temporarily tackled by offering him the post after Advani’s time.

Congress would definitely settle on continuance of Dr Manmohan Singh, if it musters enough strength. Perhaps after some time, Rahul Gandhi would step in with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

Mayawati of BSP, Sharad Pawar of NCP, Lalu Prasad Yadav of RJD, Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Jayalalitha of AIADMK, Deve Gowda of Janata Dal (S) are looking for opportunities.

Like the tactics displayed in “Yes, Prime Minister”, Prakash Karat of CPM has also said yes and no to the post. No one else had mooted it, but he has offered his presence felt.

The very idea of the CPM joining the Cabinet without a clear party voice that could be an input seems ludicrous. It looks like the CPM is weakening.

In sum, there will be a grand thamasha on the politicalscape of India after May 16