The timing of the next Lok Sabha elections would be decided by the Congress and the BJP, and not the Samajwadi Party and the BSP. This became clear a day after the DMK quit the UPA and the Centre. The current mood in the Congress and the BJP is not for an early general election. The government is neither “lame” nor “duck”, said crisis managers on Wednesday. On the other hand, the government has opened doors and windows for allies and supporting parties. Interestingly, leaders of the BJP parliamentary party made it clear that the government will not fall due to shortage of numbers. “It will run even if the SP and the BSP withdraw support,” they said. The government does not want to bring a confidence motion for the simple reason that this could expose its friends. A senior leader of the UPA said there would be no threat to the government if it manages the floor in the ongoing Budget Session. However, a process of political realignment could begin after the session. While the DMK sees the Left as its natural ally in Tamil Nadu, the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamul Congress could also change strategy. as it has not fought Lok Sabha election on its own so far. The Trinamul is willing to support the government on whatever stand it takes on Sri Lankan Tamils issue at the UNHRC. “Our party is deeply concerned about sentiments expressed by the Tamil people. We share their sentiments and are completely with them,” the party said in a tweet. At the same time, it added, “On matters of external policy, we have, from the beginning, always left it to central government in moments of crisis. We will do the same on this occasion.” The BJD and TDP have a history of working with the BJP. The YSR Congress would ally with the Congress after the polls in Andhra and at the Centre. But in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK, DMK, MDMK and other Dravidian parties would be main players than the Congress and the BJP. Though the SP and BSP, the Left and TMC and the AIADMK and DMK cannot work with each other due to political compulsions, SP and BSP have been backing the UPA unconditionally since 2004. The Congress has to take a call whether or not LS elections should be held along with MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi Assembly polls this year or in April-May next year.
