Two women dominated India's political scene yesterday as the country's beleaguered Hindu nationalist-led coalition prepared for a confidence vote in parliament. The government is trying to retain power having lost its wafer-thin majority, writes Rahul Bedi.
The vote today, which will be close, takes place after two days of debate in which government and opposition MPs traded insults and charges.
The confidence vote became necessary after Ms Jayaram Jayalalitha, leader of the southern AIDMK party, withdrew all her 18 MPs from the 15-party federal coalition government earlier this week, plunging the country into political chaos.
Analysts said Ms Jayalaitha, a former film star, and Ms Sonia Gandhi, head of the opposition Congress party, had emerged as the arbiters of India's political future.
Mrs Gandhi, an Italian who became an Indian citizen only after her late husband, Rajiv, became prime minister in 1986, could end up becoming India's first prime minister of foreign origin. But she would need the support of 18 MPs from the mercurial AIDMK party besides smaller regional groups.
Both women, who met over tea on Thursday to discuss their future strategy, are strong personalities who dominate their respective parties, allowing neither discussion nor dissent, MPs say.