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Paswan, Yadav attend Sonia's Iftar party

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The presence on Tuesday of disgruntled central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Sharad Yadav at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's well-attended Iftar party created a sensation, and inevitably triggered talks about radical political realignment at the central level.

The expansive lawns of the All India Congress Committee headquarters at Akbar Road was brimming with 'high voltage' guests as Sonia played the gracious, smiling host.

After greeting Paswan and Yadav, who belong to the National democratic Alliance's Lok Janshakti Party and Janata Dal (Secular) respectively, the Congress chief freely mingled with the guests.

Another NDA constituent National Conference chief and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah shook hands with Sonia, as did the Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajya Sabha member and political gadfly Shatrughan Sinha. They exchanged pleasantries as Congress leader Kamalnath stood by.

"Don't make too much of my presence, I am here to attend Madam Gandhi's Iftar party, that's it," Dr Abdullah told reporters as television cameramen tripped over each other to videograph them.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and party general secretary Amar Singh were the expected guests, ever since Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Somnath Chatterjee brought about the 'rapprochement' between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress.

With Paswan and Yadav in their midst, Congress leaders could be heard saying that one should not be surprised if another disgruntled central minister -- Nitish Kumar -- made an appearance, but he could not be spotted.

Significantly, Paswan, Yadav and Kumar (railway minister) have joined hands and have discussed coming under the Janata Dal (United) banner by merging the Lok Jan Shakti and the Samata Party in it.

This could not only enable these three ministers to increase their clout with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but also have potentially disastrous consequences for the stability of the NDA.

This is because if other NDA allies like the Telegu Desam Party and the Trinamul Congress begin sensing that the stability of the central ruling alliance is threatened, they could follow suit and join the disgruntled ministers, bringing about the Vajpayee government's nemesis.

The Congress leaders were present in strength.

Manmohan Singh, party leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha was there, and so was its deputy chairperson Najma Heptullah.

Former prime minister Chandra Shekhar made an appearance later

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