Posted on 05/16/2009 5:46:22 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
India’s Ruling Party Set for Decisive Victory
By SOMINI SENGUPTA Published: May 16, 2009
NEW DELHI — The ruling Indian National Congress was poised Saturday to soar to a surprisingly decisive victory in India’s parliamentary elections, sidelining small, regional party bosses and potentially diminishing the power of communists who had been largely responsible for blocking economic reforms over the last five years.
With the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party conceding defeat by early afternoon, the apparent Congress landslide signals the possibility of a stable and strong government in the face of stiff challenges: a sharp slowdown in economic growth, abiding poverty and instability in the region, including in Pakistan.
By mid-afternoon, the Congress-led coalition was projected to be leading in 248 of 543 parliamentary seats, according to the state-owned television broadcaster, Doordarshan, with 162 for the coalition headed by the opposition B.J.P. A third alliance, launched by a collection of communist parties, reported a lead in only 60 seats. Final results were due later in the day.
“We have got the numbers now to form a stable government,” Prithviraj Chavan, a Congress minister, declared on television. A smaller vote share would have led to protracted and difficult political horse-trading with necessary allies and engendered a potentially weak and ineffectual government — a prospect that had worried political observers at home and analysts and investors abroad.
The incumbent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was expected to continue in office. Not since the country’s founding prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, has an incumbent prime minister finished a full five year term in office and been returned to power.
Congress’s appeals to the rural poor paid off, including a massive public jobs program in the countryside, higher government prices for staple grains, and a costly loan waiver program for indebted farmers.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
As several people have said before-there is really no classical left-right divide in Indian politics, all the more so now that coalitions are the norm.
And I believe GWB got all pretty well with Manmohan Singh and strategic cooperation peaked, even when he had to depend on Communist support....
IMHO, Nitish Kumar has not re-invented the JD(U). He has, as usual, done terrific work in a system which was ruined and rotten to the core. He is an honest and efficient administrator and has turned Bihar around. Even the Congress cabinet ministers were loath to disturb him.
All the huzzas that Lallu Yadav got as Railways Minister were in fact due to the solid foundation laid by Nitish Kumar as the previous Railways Minister in the NDA govt. Lallu only took the credit. In fact, Railway finances are currently in a very precarious position now because fares have not been increased over 5 yrs now, and the freight market on which it was cross-subsidised, is in a tail-spin. Lalu will leave at an oppurtune time, leaving the rotten mess for the next minister.
“Future haven for American conservatives?”
You have to live there as a full time resident for 18 years before you can start the citizenship process. They live next door to muslims with nuclear weapons and south of China. They have a large indigenous muslim population.
Sadly, it may be the best alternative.
Being that Im told that he really isnt the one that sets any agenda in the Indian government, what he is, and what he isnt, hardly matters. He dances to the tunes of another.
It’s interesting to note that Israeli and Indian security/military/intelligence cooperation has grown tremendously in the past few years.
1) Israel could be putting some eggs in the Indian basket should America desert them (possible with Obama)
2) Israel can (possibly) be providing/sharing very powerful intel on Pakistan/Iran and other terrorism interests of India. perhaps they work a “sandwich” effect between the region (Israel on the west—India on the east—Iran/Iraq/Pakistan in the middle)
3) India has permitted Israel to launch satellite’s into space. perhaps other elements of Israeli military train/base there. an example could be Israeli nuke subs/ships.
4) Israeli Sayeret Merkal forces have trained Indian-anti-terror forces
5) India and Israel share mutual interests. The question is if Israel can be valuable enough to India that India would help defend Israel if America wouldn’t
In a way, he has carved out a niche for the JD-U, almost independent of the BJP, unlike other NDA allies. This is in addition to reducing the criminal elements that are the norm in most parties over there. The JD-U now wears a more cohesive look as a political party unlike the revolving door groups like the BSP or RJD. And most impressive is the fact that the party does not appear to be the fiefdom of any particular person and has spread its appeal to all groups in the state, even Muslims, despite being allied with the BJP. That’s why I say he’s reinvented the JD-U.
I frankly don’t think Israel needs overt India’s help to fight its enemies. The Indian military’s long range capabilities are pretty modest.
>>Being that Im told that he really isnt the one that sets any agenda in the Indian government
Uh, OK. Is is the Zionists, the Comintern, or the Bilderbergers doing the agenda setting.
I thought that Marxist rhetoric was funny. Like ironic.
Im actually told its the Italians... :)
>>ironic.
That is like, so Twentieth Century, dude.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.