Straggling front

The two main political parties, the Congress and the BJP, have not yet reached a situation where their combined tally in the Lok Sabha may fall below the majority mark of 272. No Third Front government can, therefore, be formed without the involvement or outside support of the Congress or the BJP. The coalition governments of the NDA, led by Atal Behari Vajpayee, and thereafter the UPA, led by Manmohan Singh, lasted their full terms. Either of the two alliances, the UPA or the NDA, is expected to win the 2014 general election. The alternative of a Third Front, as suggested by Mulayam Singh Yadav, is highly unlikely.

M.C. Joshi

Lucknow