The dilemma in western UP is similar to the convulsions which shook the party when it sacrificed local interests in Bihar and Haryana to accommodate ``national'' compulsions. If the agenda then was to block the BJP, now the threatened Jat revolt in Rajasthan has frightened the party leadership enough to look for succour to Singh. But like it ultimately gave the advantage to Chautala in Haryana, it could end up shooting itself in the foot in western UP too.

Singh has of course played his cards well. He has assiduously wooed the Congress for the past six months, waiting endlessly in 10 Janpath's ante room for anappointment with Sonia. Ten meetings later, he had almost convinced her that his Jat base would bail out the Congress in western UP by taking away crucial seats from the BJP. He topped this up with a calculated decision to share the stage with Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav and the rebellious Jat Mahasabha in Rajasthan a couple of weeks ago.

The Congress High Command bit the bait. Singh promised crucial Jat votes in Rajasthan and Sonia wilted under pressure to agree to leave eight seats to him in UP.

The advantage, however, may solely be Singh's. The Congress leaders from western UP point out that except in Mathura and Singh's family seat of Baghpat, the Muslim vote in all the so-called Jat seats is almost double that of the Jat vote. With the Muslims showing clear signs of moving to the Congress, Singh is obviously hoping to revive his flagging political fortunes by riding piggy-back on the Congress to bag this crucial vote.

The Congress is still trying to break down her resistance which is why theproposed the tie-ups with Singh remains on hold despite his almost embarrassing persistence with 10 Janpath.