In Tamil Nadu, a section in the Congress wants the party to revive its ties with the DMK which was part of the ruling UPA for almost nine years before pulling out of it in March 2013 over the then Manmohan Singh government’s stand on the Sri Lanka human rights issue at the UNHRC session in Geneva.

The Congress will have to go with DMK if the party wants to stay relevant in Tamil Nadu politics. The ruling DMK-Congress alliance was decimated by the AIADMK in 2011 state polls. Out of the total 243 seats, the AIADMK won 150 while the DMK bagged 23 and the Congress could manage just five seats.

Similarly, in West Bengal, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who was once votary of “go alone” policy, is believed to have sought views of state leaders on renewing ties with the ruling Trinamool Congress. The party had contested the 2011 assembly poll in alliance with the Trinamool Congress winning 184 out of the total of 294 seats while the Congress won 42. However, the state unit is divided on the alliance issue with some favouring going it alone in coming election. Chances of a tie-up with Left are dim as the two are bitter rivals in Kerala and West Bengal. CM Mamata Banerjee is unlikely to forge an alliance with the Congress, given her undiminished popularity evident in recent civil poll.

The Bihar defeat could struck a blow to the BJP’s campaign for the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. The party’s popularity was already showing a slide since the high of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the loss in Bihar may seal its fate in West Bengal.

Desperate to retain power in Assam, the Congress has not ruled out alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) of Badruddin Ajmal and other anti-BJP forces. Congress is exploring the possibility of a tie-up with the state's main opposition AIUDF for the next year's assembly election in the state. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who had so far strongly resisted any such move, has now softened his stand.

Elections are due in politically sensitive state—Uttar Pradesh-- in 2017. The Congress is not likely to go with Mulayam Singh as chances of his winning are slim. Mayawati, who stands a fair chance of success, may like to go alone, as she has no gain by joining hands with the Congress. Since elections in UP are far off, it will be foolhardy to hazard a guess now. In politics equations change fast; yesterday’s enemy may become friend tomorrow.

The Bahujan Samaj Party has rejected the possibility of a grand alliance with SP in Uttar Pradesh to defeat BJP. Asked whether such an alliance is possible, party leader Swamy Prasad Maurya said his party will end jungle raj in UP by defeating SP. “Samajwadi party is working as ‘gundaraj’ whereas BJP as ‘dangaraj’. People are missing BSP as they saw good governance during BSP government’s previous term”, he said

Swamy Prasad’s remarks came a day after Uttar Pradesh minister suggested a Grand Alliance involving ruling Samajwadi Party and Mayawati-led BSP for the upcoming assembly polls in the state similar to the one in Bihar where rivals RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar came together and decimated BJP.

With Assembly elections in Punjab just a year and a half away, the Congress has started preparations in right earnest. In the last elections, the Congress was all set to romp home with a majority but infighting in the party ruined its chances. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition is in a bad shape and fast losing support of the people. At the heart of the problem is the political survival of former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, undoubtedly the most charismatic party leader in Punjab, who enjoys a mass following across the state; he also is backed by party chief Sonia Gandhi. He shares the Doon School connection with Rajiv Gandhi and the two families have known each other for long.

A new factor in the next year’s election in Punjab is emergence of AAM Aadmi Party (APP) led by Arvind Kejriwal. The APP is sure make its impact in the coming election and may get a sizeable number of seats. Kejriwal has so far maintained distance from both CM Prakash Singh Badal and the Congress. Frantic efforts are being by Congress leaders to elicit support of APP. If the Congress succeeds, it will be a big boost for Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. (IPA Service)