India's opposition alliance in massive rally as elections near end

National Democratic AllianceNew Delhi  - India's opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) held a massive rally in northern Punjab state Sunday with three days to go for the last phase of the staggered general elections.

All top leaders of the Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the NDA alliance, including prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi attended the rally in Ludhiana city organized by NDA partner Akali Dal.

A star of the show was Nitish Kumar, Janata Dal (United) leader and chief minister of eastern Bihar state, who appealed to migrant labourers from his state living in Punjab to vote in strength for the BJP-Akali Dal combine on Wednesday.

Kumar's presence at the rally, after overtures from the Congress Party, which leads the incumbent United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for a possible post-election alliance, was a boost for the NDA which has been trying to put up a united front after the departure of another key ally, Naveen Patnaik, chief minister of Orissa.

All BJP chief ministers were on the podium at the Ludhiana rally along with K Chandrashekhar Rao, leader of the Telengana Rashtra Samiti which recently broke away from the UPA.

Leaders of the Akali Dal, Punjab's governing party, the Asom Gana Parishad from eastern Assam state, and the Shiv Sena, based in Maharashtra state, also attended the rally.

Analysts have predicted that India's month-long general elections which are due to end Wednesday are likely to result in a hung Parliament.

As the five-phase elections near the end, leading parties and alliances are scurrying to put possible post-poll alliances in place.

According to convention, Indian President Pratibha Patil is expected to invite the single-largest party in Parliament or the largest pre-poll alliance to form a government.

It is the president's discretion as to who she would invite. Her overriding concern would be to call on the party or alliance she feels would be able to provide a stable government.

The new government will have to prove that it has the support of a majority of the 545-member Lok Sabha, or lower house of Parliament, within a set time.

If it fails to prove its strength, the second largest party or alliance would be called to form a government.

If that alliance too fails to prove majority support, the president would be left with no option but to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections.

Results of India's general elections that began on April 16 are scheduled to be announced on May 16. (dpa)