Until a few years ago, political analysts argued that coalition governments are an aberration and that single-party rule was the preferred form. That thinking has since changed as it becomes obvious that coalition politics is here to stay. None of the parties are in a position to get an absolute majority on their own, and any government that is likely to come to power in the coming election or even in the next election, is most likely to be a coalition government. The number of seats won by Congress and the BJP has declined to less than 300 seats between them and around 50 per cent of the vote while that of the regional and state parties increased to 159 and 28 per cent of the vote in 2004.

Closed-door meet for 20 minutes on Pune's outskirts

All-India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar held a 20-minute closed-door meeting, on the outskirts of Pune on Tuesday.

The unscheduled meeting between the two leaders came as relations are strained between the two parties over an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections in April.

Dhariwal says working of govt depts will be transparent

Shanti Dhariwal has been entrusted with two powerful portfolios in the Gehlot government—Home and UDH departments. DNA talks to the minister on wide ranging issues like state’s law and order situation, fake encounters and the challenges ahead. Excerpts:  

You were entrusted with powerful and plum portfolios in the cabinet expansion. Were you expecting the elevation in government?

What can I say? It is the chief minister’s prerogative. I will try and live up to his and the public’s expectation.

The home and UDH departments became the nemesis for the previous government. Both are with you now. What’s your take on the functioning of these departments?

Paris  - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and several other conservative politicians have in recent days been the targets of letters threatening their lives, French media reported on Tuesday.

Sarkozy, Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, Justice Minister Rachida Dati, Culture Minister Christine Albanel and the mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe, have all received letters containing implicit threats to their lives and 9mm bullets.

Panels to iron out seat-sharing issues, DMK to share spare seats

The Congress and DMK are in talks to strengthen their alliance for the forthcoming polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad met DMK chief minister M Karunanidhi, recuperating from a spinal surgery, at his home on Monday. Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, former union IT minister Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi (DMK) were present at the meeting. The parties decided to carry forward their "strong" alliance. Election committees of both parties will decide the process of seat sharing and other issues.

Once a group of about two dozen parties, the BJP-led NDA is now down to eight partners. The Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) became its latest constituent on Monday.

The main challenger to the ruling coalition of UPA, the NDA is pinning hopes on post-poll tie-ups to help it achieve the magic figure of 272 to be able to form the next government.

The joining of RLD is a major boost to it in western Uttar Pradesh. BJP chief Rajnath Singh is a candidate from Ghaziabad in the region. In UP, which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha, the BJP, now down to a single-digit tally, needs to do well desperately to recapture power.