Unfazed by exit polls, opposition draws up plan to stake claim if NDA falls short

New Delhi, May 22: Undeterred by what the exit polls said, the opposition has been contemplating making some quick moves in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark.

If the NDA falls short of the 272 mark, then the Congress and other opposition parties are preparing to stake a claim on May 23 itself to pre-empt any invitation from the President of India.

The opposition has been working with its legal team to ensure that it is called to form the government in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark. A report in the Hindustan Times, while quoting a Congress leader said that in the possibility of a hung verdict, they may replicate the Karnataka model and stake a claim. A final call on the matter would be taken by UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, he also said.

In Karnataka, the Congress and JD(S) moved quickly to thwart an attempt by the BJP to form the government despite the party emerging as the single largest party. The two parties managed to keep the BJP out of power.

In 2004, it may be recalled that the President had given preference to the Congress over the BJP and invited it to form the government. The BJP had 138 seats, while the Congress had 145. The Congress then put together the UPA and with the help of the Left formed the government.