Cabinet Whispers!

Alright, this may go on in a series of posts, depending on what may get reported when!

As reported earlier, the Congress+ have emerged as leaders in the elections for the 15th Lok Sabha, and it is time for Dr. Manmohan Singh to form the new Cabinet!

One of the major issues with Coalition Politics, as you may know, is the fact that Cabinet Ministerial positions are up for leverage. The higher the percentage of your party MLA's in the coalition, the higher and better are the portfolios for your party. This goes without saying!

INC, by far is the strongest party of the coalition this time, so it is obvious, it will have the maximum say.

And saying it is!

Dr. Manmohan Singh, it has been rumored, wants Montek Singh Ahluwaalia heading the Finance Portfolio in the Cabinet this time. It should be considered that Dr. Singh's faith in Montek Singh goes back a long way!

Young Congress Leaders like Sachin Pilot, Priya Dutt may get to be a part of the cabinet and get portfolios as well, it has been rumored. May be the work of their respective fathers have been good enough for them and their party!

On the other hand, Trinamool Congress chief, Mamta Banerjee has shunned the Railway Portfolio and has demanded the Rural Agriculture one! Seems like Singur and Nandigram haven't been enough!

Also, it has been rumored, that Rahul Gandhi will be a part of the Cabinet, without a portfolio! Is this a way to shirk responsibility or just another way to walk in mama's footsteps?!

Dr. Singh has his task cut out and so do we, of keep an eagle's eye on his Cabinet!

15th Lok Sabha Elections 2009 - Results!

So, the elections for the 15th Lok Sabha have yielded results! And is it time to revisit 1991 or what!

Cause, never in the past 18 years have elections presented a picture similar to what we are seeing right now! Never in the past 18 years have the Congress won these many seats, nor has the BJP lost so many!

A detailed account of how many of the LS seats were won, by which party can be seen in the following table:

Party	Seats Won
BJP	116
INC or Congress	206
J.D (Secular)	3
DMK	18
NCP	9
LEFT	20
AIADMK	9
JDU	20
SP	22
TC	19
BSP	21
KECM	0
AGP	1
MUL	0
JKNC	0
AUDF	1
IND	8
BJD	11
RJD	4
SS	11
Others	55

Of course, as can be seen from the table above, none of the parties in a country as huge as ours, has been able to garner simple majority i.e. none of them could win 271 seats in the Lok Sabha!

But then who cares! These are the times of coalition politics and what matters is not Congress or BJP, what matters is the Congress+ and the BJP+

According to the pre-poll alliances, the following table is achieved:

Pre - Poll Alliance	Seats won
UPA	261
NDA	159
Third Front	69
Fourth Front	27
Others	30

Of course, with the polls now over, the picture will change! A lot of parties from one front will jump to another! Coalition Politics, after all, is a circus and the Lok Sabha are Trapeze Platforms, where political leaders jump from one swing to another, waiting to be held by another of those jokers on some other swing!

Dr. Manmohan Singh, if there are no surprises in store, Politically Screwed will be eyeing you very closely!