The UPA does not face any immediate electoral threat, and the Economist Intelligence Unit's central forecast is still that the government will complete its five-year term (the next general election must take place by May 2014). But the extent to which the government has been weakened by corruption scandals means that the risk of a snap election-perhaps triggered by Mr Singh's resignation, should he decide to step down-has increased significantly. Regardless of when the next poll is held, it is all but certain to result in another coalition government.

Important state assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam will be held in the coming months. Local elections in Uttar Pradesh, India's largest and politically most important state, are due in 2012.