Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s attempts to come to the rescue of UPA-II are not likely to have much bearing on the Congress. Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi is all set to start his 2014 lok Sabha poll strategy in Uttar Pradesh. It is said that after the Budget Session, he will have go on an extensive tour of the State — very much in the manner that he did before the Assembly elections last year. But this time, it will be the functioning of the Akhilesh Government that will be his target.

During his last tour, it was former Chief Minister Mayawati. Statements like ‘elephants sitting at lucknow have been eating the money which came from Delhi’ were made by him. But after the Congress’ dismal performance in the Assembly elections, Rahul made no comments on the ruling SP Government. But now, that the General Election is nearing, he will be in attack mode. A lot is at stake for the Congress.

The 80 seats from UP are very important for the Congress. Party leaders say that if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s name is announced as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, the Muslim vote will go to them. last time, the community had voted the Congress to stop senior BJP leader lK Advani.

Rahul Gandhi has similar expectations from the State. It is said that he will not leave any stone unturned. As far as Mulayam Singh’s support is concerned, sources say that Rahul doesn’t need it because special packages for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been made to get them on his side.

Plan BIJ

Congress managers are busy these days chalking out an alternative to getting a majority in the 2014 lok Sabha elections. Party leaders don’t have much faith in Mulayam. So, attempts are being made to get the support of other parties.

The DMK chief Karunanidhi took a soft approach towards UPA-II at the party’s executive meeting, giving rise to speculation that the DMK will not topple the Government.

Meanwhile, the Planning Commission is gearing up for changes in the Gadgil formula which decides the special status to States. At a meeting last week, the Planning Commission discussed various aspects of the changes that need to be made. Till date, only the hill States and the States that share borders with other countries get special status.

But now, parameters like per capita income and child mortality rate my be included to decide the special status. If this happens, States like Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Rajasthan will get special status. If Bihar gets special status, it will get Rs 7,000 crore and West Bengal will stop paying the Centre interest. In return, the Congress will get support from Nitish and Mamata.

Too many cooks

How many leaders will need to be roped in to stop Narendra Modi from becoming the next Prime MinisterIJ Champions of secularism say that they will do every thing in their might to stop Modi. Though no formal announcement has been made with regards to him being BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, leaders from various parties have started strategising against his candidature. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (MIM) Assaduddin Owaisi is the new arrival who has said that his party would not let Modi become the Prime Minister.

Nitish Kumar is another leader who will put roadblocks. He has already said that the BJP must declare a secular leader as its Prime Ministerial candidate. JDU’s national president Sharad Yadav is yet another leader who has said he will do everything in his power to stop Modi. Even Mulayam will pose problems.

The Congress, of course, is all out to challenge Modi. leaders like Digvijay Singh, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswa and AICC general secretary and West Bengal incharge Shakeel Ahmed have declared Modi as a regional leader.

Account for it

An imminent Election Commission (EC) decision could  send all political parties into a tizzy. The EC wants that the limit of Rs 20,000 be removed to make it mandatory for parties to show on record all voluntary donations, irrespective of the sum. The matter, for now, has been referred to the law Commission which is working on the issue of electoral reforms.

Interestingly, the BSP which has received donations to the tune of Rs 200 crore, claims that no person has given more than Rs 20,000. Many people have raised questions over this claim. The Congress, which has donations worth Rs 2000 crore, also claims that more than 85 per cent has been contributed to the tune of Rs 20,000 or less. So when the Government decided to refer the decision to the law Commission, all parties stood by the decision, except for the left which raised objections.

BIll it up

The Food Security and land Acquisition Bills are crucial for the Congress. That is why the party is trying to get these Bills passed in the present session of Parliament. The Food Security Bill has got the Cabinet’s nod. It had to be presented in Parliament last week but questions over the plight of Tamils in Sri lanka was raised and the Bill could not be presented. The Government will also try for a consensus on the land Acquisition Bill at the all-party meet.

Besides these two Bills, the Jan lokpal Bill is also important for the Government. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy has said that the Government will go for a discussion on the Bill in the second phase of Parliament which will start from April 22. It is said that Congress High Command has given instructions to get this Bill passed.

In fact, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had given a written assurance to Anna Hazare that the Government will get this Bill passed in the Budget Session. Hazare on his part wrote back saying that even the Prime Minister had written several such letters but nothing had happened. The party doesn’t want the same thing to happen with Sonia Gandhi so all efforts are being made to get the Bill passed.

If the Bill doesn’t get passed, the Civil Society will raise the corruption issue again and the Congress has the most to lose. Therefore, in all probability the Bill will be passed before May 10.’

All the talk around Modi

The question doing the rounds is what will happen if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is appointed chairman of the election campaign committee by the BJPIJ Many feel that there will be a split in the NDA. Nitish Kumar will leave and no new party is likely to join. But it appears that Modi is doing his best to prove that this is not going to happen.

There are reports that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has said it has no problems with Modi. Senior BJD leader and lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said that the party will be willing to support a BJP-led Government if the party and its allies have the capability to form the Government at the Centre.

It must be noted that Odisha Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has more problems with the Congress than the BJP. Keeping an eye on tribal votebank, Rahul Gandhi has got put a stop to many projects approved by the State Government. That is why BJD has to maintain a distance with Congress.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has also given her nod to Modi's name. So, even if Nitish Kumar parts ways, the NDA’s strength remains intact. In fact, it will increase as the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal are also giving their approval for Modi’s name.