President Hamid Karzai risks alienating his international backers if he calls a snap election in Afghanistan, diplomats have warned.
The Afghan president is understood to be considering throwing his political enemies into turmoil by springing a poll as early as April 21, despite fears in Kabul that it would be impossible to stage a free and fair election in seven weeks time.
Britain, the US and United Nations strongly backed the Afghan election watchdog's earlier decision to postpone elections from late April until Aug 20 because of security and logistical worries.
Fair, widespread elections are a central plank in the strategy to defeat the Taliban-led insurgency and the UN said delays were a "practical necessity" to ensure they passed of smoothly.
However Mr Karzai has this week held intense discussions with allies and is understood to be mulling the idea of bringing the elections forward, with an announcement expected as early as Friday.
An early poll would not benefit from the arrival of 17,000 US reinforcements ordered to Afghanistan last week by President Barack Obama to boost security. There are also doubts ballot papers could be printed or distributed in time.
"There was a lot of logic in the electoral commission decision and that's why we and big international players here who are part of the process, supported the August 20 date," said one Western official.
"If something else is presented, then for a number of different reasons, it's going to be difficult for us to support that."
Another Western official said: "Pushing for a snap election puts Hamid Karzai on a collision course with his international backers."
An early poll would represent an unexpected attempt by President Karzai to outmanoeuvre his Afghan and international opponents. In recent weeks, criticism of the president has focused on questioning his legitimacy during the lead up to the polls.
One Afghan MP said: "I think personally Mr Karzai is very, very good at giving surprises.
"All the opposition preparations were set for August 20 and then they could have to set them for seven weeks time.
"What can they do, they don't have a fleet of helicopters at their service. They have been taken by surprise."
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