SONIA - PRESIDENT unschedule meeting :"First dibs at forming a government" ?

NEW DELHI: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday has an unscheduled meeting with President Pratibha Patil causing flutters in political circles. There was no official word on what transpired during their 30-minute meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan.The meeting comes two days after Gandhi expressing Congress' readiness to face general elections. (8 Oct 2007, 1618 hrs IST, PTI)

The discussion could be related to next election and to signal Patil to keep her side of the deal , to give "first dibs at forming a government " in case of hung parliament . "........though her probable loyalty to her Congress sponsors is unlikely to matter much until after the next election, due by May 2009. If, as is likely, the vote produces a hung parliament, Mrs Patil would have to decide which party should have first dibs at forming a government. In an even contest with the BJP, it would be remarkable if Congress did not receive a call. That Mrs Gandhi felt obliged to propose such a partisan candidate suggested a certain lack of confidence in her party's prospects . " The Gandhis' girl --Jul 26th 2007 The Economist