The Assembly elections results in five states may not have an instant impact on the UPA at the Centre in terms of the numbers game, but it has certainly dented the ability of the Congress-led alliance’s manoeuvrability on the policy front. Even the aspirations to have a majority in the Rajya Sabha on its own has dimmed, as the Congress failed to improve its numbers in almost all the states. The ruling Congress will also feel the number pinch during the presidential elections.
Doubting the assessments in some quarters that the results will adversely impact the UPA at the Centre, a senior Congress leader said, “What change or impact are you looking at? The existing combination at the Centre remains unchanged, as SP, which has won the elections and the BSP, which has lost in the elections, are already supporting the UPA at the Centre.”
However, contrary to the Congress leader’s view, analysts feel that no-change in the number equation is the problem, as the UPA is already in trouble with “policy paralysis”, “no majority in Rajya Sabha” and looming number crunch in the upcoming presidential elections.
Many in the political circles believe that Manmohan Singh-led UPA government will definitely not see any number threat for its survival, as politically strong SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav would need support of the Centre in fulfilling poll promises, whereas weakened BSP supremo Mayawati would like to keep Congress in “good humour”. But still, all is not well for the Congress, as it failed to capture power in Punjab and Uttrakhand and failed to retain Goa.