Sharon's centrist Kadima party strengthens

Ariel Sharon’s centrist Kadima party would easily win March 28 Israeli elections, despite the increasingly dim chance that he will head the movement after suffering a massive stroke, according to two new opinion polls.

The polls, released late yesterday, were the latest sign that Kadima can survive the loss of its leader. The party, formed in November, was widely seen as a one-man show, and political analysts questioned whether the party could still win without Sharon at its helm.