Top leaders of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a second meeting within 24 hours Wednesday amid fears that their coalition government is to be voted out of power.
Pundits are predicting that the National Democratic Alliance -- a BJP-led grouping of 17 parties running the federal government for six years -- will fail to win a majority when results of the three week-long staggered general elections are declared Thursday.
BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu and federal finance minster Jaswant Singh met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence here to "review the situation".
The three had joined other coalition leaders for an emergency meet late Tuesday, after alliance partner Telugu Desam Party was declared routed in the election to the Andhra Pradesh state legislature.
The state was considered one of the strongest support bases for the ruling alliance, and the loss there confirmed exit poll-fuelled speculation that the coalition's rule is nearing its end.
Though coalition leaders are putting up a brave public face and saying they are confident of winning a majority, reports suggest that they have already started hunting for new partners to make up the numbers.
{{/usCountry}}Though coalition leaders are putting up a brave public face and saying they are confident of winning a majority, reports suggest that they have already started hunting for new partners to make up the numbers.
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