President has important role in forming next Indian government

No single party is expecting to manage the magic number of 272 in the national election. This is a reality of Indian elections now. Next thing, coalition came into focus for last 2 decades but even this has lost the attention now. None of the three major pre-poll alliance is expected to get even 200 seat. Unfortunate thing is that all the parties have accepted these facts and have no loyalty towards any pre-poll alliance. Most of the parties have categorically declined to commit with any alliance. What they are saying is they can take decision only after the counting is over and the results are declared.

Many parties who are uncommitted to any alliance or committed to many will support anyone who is first invited by the President to form the government. The president has four options

1- Invite the single largest party
2- Invite the single largest pre-poll alliance
3- Invite the largest post-poll alliance
4- Ask the parties to show letter of support of the elected MPs

But the problem with the second and the third option is that none of the party is genuinely committed to any alliance so on what basis President can judge the pre or post poll alliance? In such a scenario president has an important role to play.

The options four has been before when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was asked to show letter of support before he is sworn in as prime minister. This option has biggest problem that the parties will go out and start 'horse trading' and MPs would be bought by paying huge money and promises to make them ministries.
But all the indication shows that this happens anyway.

Option one seems to be the best option. Though the second largest party might make hue and cry over this decision if their pre or post poll alliance has more supporters. As I said earlier both of them are irrelevant and not trust worthy so their opposition can be ignored.

President has to remember that the President's decision should not only be legally and constitutionally correct but also be free from personal bias as it will go into history and will be judged by generations to come. She has to prove that though she does exercise her franchise but she is above personal feeling when it comes to deliver her duties.

Note: I have posted some part of this on ibnlive in their "Analyse this" section. you can read that at http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/author/2480/53455/analysethis.html