Maharashtra:
On Thursday, when the verdict is out on who will govern Maharashtra for the next five years, some of the over 100 rebels turned Independent candidates may well play a decisive role. Especially if the voter throws up a hung House.
Over 24 of these 100 rebels are potential winners who could end up becoming kingmakers in case of a close contest. Laxman Jagtap, NCP rebel from Chinchwad, Sunil Deshmukh, Congress rebel from Amravati and Vinay Natu, BJP rebel from Konkan, are just three of the over two dozen regional bigwigs with the potential of snatching the seat from the official candidate of their former party.
And each of them comes with his or her own specific agenda on what who should be chief minister. Or who should not be.
Laxman Jagtap, NCP rebel, Chinchwad says: "If Ajit Dada is made CM and if they need about five to six people more, then we will support."
"Ashok Chavan has given me such a problem, which the full city and Maharashtra knows," says Pratap Patil Chiklikar, Independent candidate from Loha-Nanded.
Some are more circumspect, but you can read between the lines. Like Sunil Deshmukh, the Congress rebel forced to contest on his own after the party gave the ticket to President Pratibha Patil's son, Rajendra Shekhawat, from Amravati. "My decision will be based on what is best of Amravati." This probably translates to: a Cabinet berth.
In 1995, Independents played a key role in forming the BJP- Shiv Sena government and this time too both alliances are sparing no effort to woo unattached MLAs who could be prize catches in case of a close contest.
Congress MP, Sanjay Nirupam, says: "In case if we do need Independents, then most of them are rebels of the Congress and we are in touch with them."
And Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP, says: "If we need, we have atleast 16 people whom we are in touch with whom we think will win. They will support us because they don't want a Congress- NCP government."
All eyes are now on Thursday, when Judgement Day could well turn into Independents Day.