Top on the toppling-game agenda is the issue of the election of the Speaker of the Assembly, scheduled for October 22. The Sena-BJP is now seriously considering putting up their own candidate for speakership. If the ruling Congress-NCP alliance loses the election -- though at present reckoning that seems unlikely -- it is almost tantamount to lack of confidence in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government.

Senior leaders of both Shiv Sena and BJP today confirmed that the decision to field a candidate for Speaker has almost been finalised. ``During the on-going session, we have two opportunities to dislodge the Vilasrao Deshmukh government. The election of the Speaker on October 22 and the motion of confidence,'' a senior Shiv Sena leader told The Indian Express. What has given some hope to theousted alliance is the fact that some of the smaller allies of the Congress have already started the routine noises over ministerial positions.

The Sena-BJP effort comes in the wake of the realisation that it was their leaden-footedness that made the Congress-led government possible. Former chief minister Narayan Rane contends that if the alliance had staked claim to form the government on October 7 or 8 itself, the Congress would not have got the opportunity to reorganise itself.

According to the Sena leader, now both the parties are looking at the political situation from a fresh angle. ``We have come to the conclusion that we were unable to form the government owing to ego clashes. Under such circumstances, we will have to redraft our strategy to dislodge the Congress-led front government,'' he said.

A BJP leader confirmed that Gopinath Munde's unscheduled meeting with Bal Thackeray and his subsequent presence at the Sena rally at the Shivaji Park was the part of the strategy to tell the rank andfile workers that there were no differences in the alliance and that it is still determined to come back to power.

``As a part of our strategy, we are planning to field a nominee for the Speaker's election. We can win it, the game is over,'' the BJP leader said. The NCP is still undecided on its candidate for the coveted post. Though it is planning to field former Minister Arun Gujarathi, he has declined, preferring a Cabinet post to that of Speaker.

As per the agreement between Congress and NCP, the speaker's post has been allotted to the NCP.