Kaun Banega PM???????

The path to 7 Race course road seems tortuous. If one is to go by the numbers in the previous post it looks tantalizingly close between the UPA and NDA with the third front a dead and buried front.

For NDA if the numbers come through to 210 they will heave a sigh of relief at having pipped UPA but they still fall short by 62. Where will they get these numbers????
The options - AIADMK, BSP, Trinamool TDP.
All the above 4 have done business with NDA in the past and should the opportunity arise with plum posts in the offing the 4 will jump board. BJP will find life very difficult with Maya, Jaya and Mamta all on board so poaching Naidu from 3rd front is an option they must be exploring with full earnest.

For UPA if the below numbers come true then they are in for a rough ride. First and foremost they must try and get Mulayam, Laloo and Paswan (4th front) back in the saddle. This will take their tally past NDAs. Then they will have to open their doors (not an easy thing to do at all!!!!!!) to the Left. Adding Naveen's BJD and PMK + MDMK will take them to the magic mark of 272. One option they must be exploring is to dump the DMK for AIADMK. There is a catch in that. Jaya will ask for the ouster of the DMK government.

The Third front it seems is an imaginary idea of those who are desperate to remove BJP and Congress from the picture. This I am afraid is not possible given the large number of MPs sent to the lok sabha by the straight fight Congress-BJP states. If at all there is a chance of a 3rd front govt. coming to power they must keep their flock together and poach partners of UPA and NDA. This will most likely be JD(U) and Sharad Pawar. Adding NC, PDP, Chiranjeevi's PRP the tally will touch 140. Outside support from Congress will do to form the government.
Who will be PM in that case? Sharad Pawar? Nithish Kumar? Naveen Patnaik? The possibilities are endless. This is the land of the dreamers.

On the whole Advani has a marginally better chance than Manmohan of becoming PM. Don't rule out a dark horse. The regional satraps hang in there. History has thrown up surprise candidates and will continue to do so.

All will be revealed on 16th.