As LS polls approach, Congress looks for new allies

A NEW PARTNERSHIP? Amar Singh says he has 'no personal problem' with Sonia Gandhi.

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New Delhi: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is celebrating the fourth anniversary of being in power. At Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dinner party on Thursday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) attracted the maximum attention.

Key ally the Left came but left before the UPA's report card was unveiled.

Left has been fuming for some time and as Lok Sabha elections come closer, it also feels that there is not much reason to celebrate.

"In the context of rising prices and deepening misery of people, I don't think they should celebrate," AB Bardhan, General Secretary of Communist Party of India, said.

But there is a silver lining. Relations with SP are near normal and Amar Singh of the past when he used to target Congress President Sonia Gandhi is quite different from Amar Singh of the present.

"I had no personal problem with her in the past. Now also I have no personal problem with her," Amar Singh, SP General Secretary, said.

And this is not the only realignment the Congress is looking forward to. Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress is another target.

And it always pays to have new allies on board when one is facing anti-incumbency.

Like every anniversary celebration of the UPA, there'll be a report card listing out achievements but the shadow of the price rise concerns would still be there

But the celebrations are somewhat low-key as the Jaipur serial bomb blasts happened only a few days back.

Four years back doubts were raised over the durability of the UPA Government and in that sense perhaps its greatest achievement has been in keeping its allies together.

But it celebrates its fourth year in power at the threshold of Lok Sabha elections and also in the backdrop of terror attacks and rising prices.