The trends and results of the Assembly polls may bring testing times for the Congress, ahead of the second anniversary of the party-led United Progressive Alliance coalition at the Centre.
The Congress had governments in Kerala and Assam, as well as the union territory of Pondicherry, but now it has lost power in Kerala and may be forced to go for a coalition in Assam. In Pondicherry, the party may manage to retain power.
The other solace for the party was its president Sonia Gandhi being way ahead of her rivals in the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha by-election in Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress is part of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu that is heading for victory, but it is unclear whether the state would see a coalition government for the first time. With the DMK unlikely to get a majority of its own, it has to be seen whether DMK's allies will rest content with providing outside support or would form part of the government.
In Assam too, the Congress leadership has a tough task on hand despite indications that it will emerge as the single largest party. This situation has arisen in spite of the party's readiness to share power in the sensitive northeastern state, where it has declared the BJP and the Brindaban Goswami- led Asom Gana Parishad as the 'two untouchables'.
What is worrying for the Congress is that 'others', including the Assam United Democratic Front, appeared to be emerging as the king-makers.
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