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9 days of political cliff-hanger

Following is the sequence of events from the loss of confidence vote by the Vajpayee government on April 17 leading up to today's cabinet recommendation to the President to dissolve the 12th Lok Sabha and hold fresh elections.

April 17: Vajpayee government resigns after losing the vote of confidence 269-270. President K R Narayanan asks him to continue as caretaker till alternative arrangements are made.

April 18: Parties ranged against the BJP begin talks on forming an alternative government.

April 19: Hints of trouble from the Samajwadi Party as Mulayam meets Sonia and Jayalalitha. Meanwhile, BJP tells Narayanan to follow the same yardstick as when Vajpayee was called to prove majority.

April 20: Sonia Gandhi meets Jyoti Basu, Laloo Prasad Yadav, I K Gujral and H D Deve Gowda after getting a consultation call from Narayanan. Vajpayee hosts dinner at which all allies reaffirm support in his leadership.

April 21: Sonia meets President and says Congress will form minority government. Claims support of 272 MPs and seeks two days' time to produce letters of support.

Advani submits list of 270 MPs supporting the BJP to the President.

At a meeting of non-Congress, non-BJP parties hosted by the RLM, Jyoti Basu's name is thrown up for prime minister after Mulayam rules out ''blind support'' to the Congress.

April 22: CPI-M leader Surjeet says Congress should form government even as Jayalalitha hands in letter supporting Congress government.

April 23: Sonia meets Narayanan and claims support of 233 MPs. Gets more time to finish consultations with ''friendly parties''.

Mulayam's Samajwadi Party, RSP and AIFB inform Narayanan they will not support a Congress government while Laloo Prasad Yadav pledges support. BSP says it prefers elections.

April 24: Jayalalitha and Mulayam say Third Front government with Congress support from outside, led by Jyoti Basu, only ''viable option''.

April 25: Sonia tells Narayanan she is unable to form government. Rejects support to ''third front'' and says it is up to the President to decide on elections.

CPI-M politburo rejects proposal of third front government headed by Basu as unworkable.

Narayanan calls Vajpayee. Union cabinet meeting called for next day to review situation.

April 26: Cabinet recommends immediate dissolution of the 12th Lok Sabha and holding of fresh elections.

UNI

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