SOME QUESTION MARKS MAY HAVE BECOME FULLSTOPS !

Some updates on my earlier predictions on some states where voting is coming up:

1. PUNJAB: I had earlier hedged my bets on this state. I am now revising my prediloctions to Congress: 10 and BJP/SAD: 3. The Sikh riots issue appears to have fizzled out and the Congress is definitely ahead at this point.

2. HARYANA: Another good news state for the Congress (and they certainly can use all the good news they get !!). The INLD in particular seems to be losing ground and the alliance with the BJP does not seem to be really working. Look for the Congress to take as many as 8 seats in Haryana and for the BJP/INLD to be restricted to just 2.

3. RAJASTHAN: Reiterate my earlier prediction with an advantage to the Congress. The upside variance will however, surprisingly, favour the Congress here thanks to a strong selection of candidates. Look for the Congress to score at the upper end of the range I predicted last blog.

4. WEST BENGAL: Look for the Rahul factor to dampen the Congress-Trinamul vote during the next 2 phases. I think the Congress-Trinamul may see its gains pared to maybe 10 to 11 seats, disappointing considering the potential gains they could have made this time.

5. TAMILNADU: I had earlier said that this would be a 70:30 election in Tamilnadu. With the major Rahul Gandhi self inflicted fiasco, look for this to be a virtual sweep by Jayalalithaa. A further update on this crucial state on the eve of polling but it is probably too late for the broken pieces of the DMK-Congress alliance to be put back together before polling day.

For 2 decades, the winner in Tamilnadu has decided the contours of government in New Delhi. Today, the BJP can raise a glass in quiet celebration. As for the Congress, what can one say ? The fat lady may not have started singing. But she has stepped up to the mike and started clearing her throat.