The post-poll strategy of the Left hinges mainly on its Third Front partners,but as D-day nears and with the Congress giving friendly signals to many of the parties in the opposition camp,the CPI(M) is factoring in the possibility of its own allies switching sides. While the CPI(M) is banking on its partners to prop up a non-Congress coalition at the Centre,it is quite unsure about the post-poll moves of AIADMK,JD(S) and the TRS. On a realistic note,the partys assessment is that barring TDP and BJD,all the others in its camp are vulnerable. Although it talks about forming a non-Congress,non-BJP Government,the CPI(M) is mindful of the fact that its Third Front is not built on a policy platform and reliability factor is in short supply. Its efforts to make the Third Front partners agree to a common policy framework also did not materialise. TRS chief Chandrasekhar Rao has already said that he was willing to support any party that supports the cause of Telangana. Jayalalithaa is also giving signals that she wants to to dislodge the Karunanidhi Government. These are matters beyond our control, a senior Left leader said. JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowdas silence on the feud in his partys Kerala unit is also ringing alarm bells for the CPI(M). It is yet to fathom why the JD(S) has not taken any action against senior Kerala leader M P Veerendrakumar,who openly worked against the LDF in the elections,even three weeks after polling. The JD(S) in Kerala is clearly divided into two camps. The group which worked against us during the elections is still in the party. Deve Gowda may be waiting for the elections to get over to take a decision. He may want to weigh his options in the post-poll situation, he said. The CPI(M)s assessment after the completion of four phases of voting is that the Congress has an upper hand,but the ruling party is not sure about the numbers that its partners will get and hence is on the lookout for new allies. It reads Rahul Gandhis statement in this context. The Left is also uncertain about the mood of the BSP although it is going by the conventional logic that Mayawati and the Samajwadi Party will not be on the same side. Apart from the common stand that we took on the nuclear deal issue,we havent really heard much from her, CPI(M) sources said. So will this realisation lead to any change in the Lefts game plan. Not necessarily,as the party does not have many options. Everything depends on numbers now. But one thing is sure,the plan to form a non-Congress government depends heavily on the stand taken by secular parties outside our fold, he added.
