And that's precisely what Gujral, with the support of Congress leader Sitaram Kesri, is apparently trying to do. But this time, Jain is determined to stick to the Aug. 31 date. The last elections were held only 16 months ago. They delivered a fractured verdict. One government has already fallen since, while the present one is dangerously unstable.
Newspapers are full of reports of political bickering among Front leaders.
The coalition, which began with 13 parties, has now splintered into 15. The Front is also dogged by a wave of corruption scandals. For months, Yadav refused to step down as chief minister, threatening to pull down the government if he was forced to quit. To the dismay of many Indians, Yadav installed his semi-literate and rustic wife as successor before his arrest. Gujral, for his part, is a suave ex-diplomat.