Horse-trading starts on political race course

New Delhi: As the big Indian political drama reaches its climax, all the players are keeping their cards close to their chest and all options of a possible happy ending open.

Except of course the two major phone calls. One from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Nitish Kumar, giving fair indication that Operation Nitish is far from over. And the other from Narendra Modi to Jayalalitha, showing how keen the NDA is to have Amma in its alliance.

After swinging from the UPA to the fourth front, SP’s Amar Singh has rediscovered the long lost Left card in an attempt pressurise the Congress. His condition, get rid of Mayawati to get the SP's support.

Amar Singh said, I would love to do business with Prakash, minus Mayawati. I am in constant touch with my old friend, comrade Sita Ram Yechury.

The Congress though is trying to win back allies it almost gave up for an unsuccessful courtship with the JDU.

Ghulam Nabi said, if Lalu had left us, he would not have been a minister. He is a minister that means he is still is UPA. Ram Vilas Paswan, had a left us, he would not have been a minister.

Ram Vilas Paswan though is keeping his options open, making the UPA's final number the condition for the fourth front's support.

Paswan said, RJD and LJP are already a part of UPA. After the elections, we will see what Mulayam Singh wants to do. However, whatever he intends to do, we shall be together.

The UPA though has got some positive news, Sharad Pawar telling reporters that the Third Front is as good as dead and he was committed to partner the UPA given that the Congress and NCP are in alliance in Mahaharashtra and Meghalaya.

but that will not be good news for the Left led Third Front which is seems to softening its stand on the Congress every passing day.

CPI general secretary AB Bardhan said, “They (Congress) know that with their number, they won’t be able to form anything, with what ever allies they have, but they don’t have any allies.”

On the other side of the political divide, the NDA's smile is a bit wider, with the TRS in its kitty, it’s next target is the TDP.

BJP’s Venkaiah Naidu said, There are number of people who are inclined towards such, but I don’t want to name any party, name any leader. I don’t want to talk to anyone until the election is over.

The other possible gamechanger in Andhra, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, though kept out the NDA as a possible ally, is confident of a good showing.

However, the time to walk all this talk will be after the results on May 16 and those numbers will decide who finally walks with whom.

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