Nothing Left to bargain

NEW DELHI: With the third front���s disintegration gathering pace, the Left may not be in a position to dictate the course of politics after May 16. While TDP and BJD are expected to take decisions based on the calculations in their respective states, AIADMK and BSP are unlikely to hitch their fortunes to the Left. In other words, the possibility of the ���third alternative��� staying cohesive is remote and the Left���s wish will not be the command for its present allies.

The loss of allies in the days to come looked real when Ms Jayalalithaa kept her post-May 16 options open on Wednesday. She has already made it clear that the alliance with the Left was specific to Tamil Nadu. In the event of AIADMK managing impressive numbers, she would be approached both by Congress and BJP. AIADMK manifesto had shown that it has more in common with the saffron outfit than the Left.

BSP, another component of the fictitious third front, can be expected to throw its weight behind the formation opposed to SP. In the event of SP moving to Congress��� side, BSP���s preference would naturally be the rival alliance at the Centre. Congress has also kept the door open for BSP on Wednesday by saying that it was willing to enter into deals with parties other than BJP and the Shiv Sena. ���We consider only BJP and the Shiv Sena as communal,��� said Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

TDP and BJD have major stakes in their states and their political moves would be governed by factors that facilitate their respective power projects. While TDP could become dependent on the TRS MLAs for forming the next government, BJD can meet any shortfall only through the support of BJP. In any case, the two parties cannot be expected to take any step that would go in favour of Congress. For their political existence centres around anti-Congressism.

It is here that the grand calculations of the Left ��� creation of a pressure bloc after the polls ��� will take a big hit. There is no ideological commonality within the grouping and they got together only because of a particular situation. But that scenario would change when the main contenders for power get into ally hunting after May 16.