In the Upper House of Parliament, where the Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up on Wednesday, the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the UPA.
The BJP is in touch with the Shiv Sena, the Biju Janta Dal and the Asom Gana Parishad. The Left parties are likely to oppose the bill.
But the Samajwadi Party, BSP, the RJD and the LJP could tip the scales as these parties had staged a walk-out in the Lok Sabha.
That leaves the Congress-led UPA with the option of support from other smaller parties and Independents.
In the 245-member House, the Congress and its allies NCP, DMK, Trinamool Congress, LJP and RLD together have 93 members.
Parties supporting the government from outside - BSP (18), SP (5) and RJD (4) - account for 27 crucial votes.
These three parties had walked out of the Lok Sabha before voting on the Lokpal Bill night but their absence did not matter much because the bill required only a simple majority and it was passed by a voice vote.
But the absence of 42 MPs from these three parties in the Lok Sabha spelt disaster for the government in the Constitutional Amendment Bill which required a special majority for passage.
If the three parties absent themselves during voting in the Rajya Sabha, then the government has a lot to worry.
The BJP which had also raised a number of objections to the Lokpal bill was to some extent mollified because the government came out with official amendments like giving option to states to set up a Lokayukta, changing the requirement of three-fourth members to clear investigation against Prime Minister to two-third and to protect the powers of Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman in regard to MPs.
However, BJP leaders said they would review their position on Wednesday morning with the party still having strong reservation over the provision for quota for minorities in the Lokpal structure and control of Lokpal over CBI.
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