Bear in mind that this government has already ceded a large amount of economic policy freedom, although it must be said, and thanks to Dr Singh and his few reformist ministers, no major harm has been done despite considerable pressure. So a coalition of this sort, having gone through what it has over the last few months, is a dispiritingly strange kind of ruling arrangement. Therefore, if the Congress has decided that the next 18 months are worth living as the ruling party, it must also decide how best to change the parameters of this coexistence. The modus vivendi being hinted at now is patently insufficient in terms of meeting some of the basic requirements of meaningful governance. To be sure, finding a different way will be tough. But life for the Congress under the conditions prevailing now will be much, much tougher.