Instan Tip

The fortnight’s burning question.

Will the country face mid-term elections within the next six months?

Maybe. Arun Jaitley, General Secretary, BJP

Clearly, you cannot rule out the possibility of mid-term polls within the next few months. Our party is concerned about the crisis in the government, which has not only paralysed governance but is also pushing the country towards midterm-polls. If the situation warrants an election, we are ready for it.

No. Alok Vajpeyi, Vice Chairman, Dawnay Day AV

There is economic and political stability in the country. India is the biggest democracy where people and parties have different points of views. I think it’s a reality and we should be able to manage it effectively. We will continue with our ongoing strategies and plans for the future.

Yes. Mahesh Rangarajan, Pollster

The nuclear deal with the US has exposed deep fault lines between the government and its Left allies. I think early elections are imminent. Even if the government doesn’t collapse immediately, we are certainly looking at general elections, most probably in early 2008.