Lalu?s loss can be UPA?s gain

New Delhi: The Bihar results are likely to have an immediate impact on the winter session of Parliament.

A pumped-up BJP has already threatened to have a go at the Congress.

But the changing politicial dynamics may just favour the Congress.

WHO WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH?

The relations between the allies may be intact, but power equations have clearly changed.

Despite looking lost in the heartland, it's the Congress that stands to gain.

"Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav have fought the election together. We accept the verdict. But Cong-RJD alliance remain unaffected," Ambika Soni, Congress' General Secretary said.

Lalu comes back to the Cabinet a chastened man without a state to his name.

Paswan, too, has been marginalised.

This means they are less likely to cause trouble for the UPA.

And secularism will continue to be the binding mantra. The defeat in Bihar is also likely to put pressure on Left to cooperate

"We have from day one been reiterating and stating that any division in the votes between the secular parties is going to help the communal combination. And this stands vindicated now and the results clearly point out," Sitaram Yechury, CPI-M politburo member said.

The RJD and the LJP will possibly indulge in introspection but their fight in Bihar may spill over in the Cabinet though Congress isn't saying much

"It is not possible for a spokesperson to speak about who will continue in the cabinet and who will not. This is Prime Minister's prerogative in consultation with UPA chairperson and other leaders of the UPA government. They will decide who will be in the Cabinet," says Soni.

BJP: TIME TO CHEER

The Bihar victory will also charge-up the BJP, which has been bogged down by their leadership crisis.

This result means that Advani will still step down as promised

"Please do not connect the two things. So far as my decision to quit this responsibility of the party president is concerned I made a declaration to that effect in Chennai and I stand by it. There is going to be no change in that. The election result has nothing to do," Lal Krishna Advani, BJP President, said.

This was a do or die battle for the BJP who aren't really in contention in any of the states going for polls next year.

PARLIAMENT SESSION ADJOURNED

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been adjourned on Wednesday after paying homage to former President K R Narayanan who died early this month.

The Lok Sabha would also mourn the death of Prakash Patil, a sitting Congress member from Sangli in Maharashtra, who died during inter-session period.

In the winter session of Parliament 52 bills are likely to be tabled. Important among them being the Disaster Management Bill & the Communal Law Bill.

Women's Reservation Bill is also on the agenda. This winter session is crucial for the UPA government in light of the Volcker Issue and the Mitrokhin paper controversies.

(with inputs from Prarthana Gahilote)