seek the main oppositions cooperation on major initiatives like direct tax code but this is likely to come only at a pricethe east coast alliance the budding east coast alliance comprises trinamool aiadmk bjd and tdp all four parties see congress either as rivals or as a dispensable ally the four states account for 128 lok sabha seats their plank is federalism or state aspiration the platform is noncongress nonbjp see bihar cm nitish kumar asom gana parishad and ncp as potential allies aim to occupy space vacated by upa but not being filled by bjp ahead of 2014 electionelections 2012 news