This refers to the news report, “SP revels in its indispensability” (March 21). After withdrawal of support by the DMK, the UPA Government at the Centre will be held hostage by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which will extract their price for the ‘outside support’.
Coalition Governments have always been constrained to take decisions in the national interest, especially if those decisions clashed with the political interests of the allies. India's stand on Sri lankan Tamils is a case in point.
It is time now to end the high-handedness of the allies by framing rules for coalition Governments. Opportunistic post-poll alliances should be made invalid. Only pre-poll alliances that have contested on a common poll manifesto should be eligible to form the Government. The provision of ‘outside’ support should also be done away with. All parties in the alliance must give an undertaking that they will not walk out of the alliance after the Government is formed.