Yes, we can!

(After Obama sworn in as the President of America, it is the 'change' slogan which has attracted the whole world. Though, 'a change' is not what our representatives have in their mind, but the 'we can' attitude for the 'Prime minister' seat has pumped in new hopes in a whole set of leaders of the regional parties.)

After 1997, with the National Front changing PMs and PM candidates in a jiffy, we perhaps witness a similar situation after 10 years since then. Every 'local leader' aims no less than Prime minister post, and list is simply too big before this election. 'Hope', after Obama's win has become a common 'symptom' among the leaders in the country which is on the other side of the Globe to US.

In Congress, the leading party of UPA, we have two major candidates: Manmohan Singh and 'Yuvraj' Rahul Gandhi. Though, the spokesman of UPA, Mr.Manish Tiwari has made it clear that Manmohan Singh was the Prime ministeral candidate and will be the candidate for the coming election too, the occasional remarks about Rahul Gandhi's 'capabilities' from some of the senior Congress leaders like Arjun Singh, Digvijay Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Veerappa Moili etc., raise doubts about how Congress will go about the 'PM post' post-elections. Though, the Congress says so, it can always shift gears to bring Mr.Rahul to the front.

The Lotus Party, has two straight probables and a 'future' probable! Mr. LK Advani however who is the prime candidate, is contested by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Mr.Shekhawat perhaps estimates that he can get the 'edge' over Advani, if Rajasthan's seats become the deciding factor, in the case of NDA wins the majority. Another probable, as even admitted by Advani, is the present chief minister, Narendra Modi. Mr.Modi has won the accolades of the some of the leading businessmen like Tata, Mittal and Ambanis as a PM material. Though, Modi has declared that he is not in race, he is still seen as a probable atleast for the 'near' future. We will have to wait and see if Advani's term goes 'smoothly', if NDA makes it at the centre.

Adding fuel to the uncertainity prevalent in the major parties, some of the regional parties claim to be in the PM race too, much by the grace of UNPA. Mayawati, the chief of BSP is probably the first in the race. She is already successful in playing the 'Dalit' card well, and has attracted the attention from her counterparts in Andhra and Karnataka. The left, did not deny her candidature. Lalu Prasad Yadav of RJD, has his eyes fixed on PM post too and has expressed his desire in the last Parliament's session. After having a great track record at the ministry of Railways, PM post looks as a natural development, according to his party. If the seats of RJD in Bihar and Jharkhand becomes the determining factor, he wants to play the role of 'King' instead of 'King maker'. The NCP leader, Sharad Pawar is being portrayed as the future PM by his party in Maharastra. The Nationalist Congress Party, which has split from Congress party chiefly based on Sonia's foriegn origin, is ironically with the same party in UPA, and has become a 'close-ally'. Ofcourse, there are several 'under-dogs' in the race in the form of Chandrababu Naidu: the chairman of UNPA, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Karunanidhi.