Asiana21

INDIA OPTS FOR CONTINUITY, STABILITY

M K Bhadrakumar

Asia Times, May 19, 2009

India's parliamentary election, held over a month across the far-flung country of a billion-plus people, has produced dramatic but sophisticated results.

Belying the widespread estimation of a "hung" parliament and a possibly wobbly coalition government ensuing, the voters - more than 700 million were eligible to cast a ballot - have dealt a thoughtful, mature verdict in favor of continuance and stability, electing the Indian National Congress and its allies to power for another five-year term. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is set to continue as the head of government, noted, "The people of India have spoken, and spoken with great clarity."

It is a landmark event in many ways. With 206 seats in the new 543-parliament, Congress on its own has crossed the 200-seat mark for the first time since the "coalition era" began in Indian politics some two decades ago. After Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, Manmohan becomes only the second prime minister in independent India's 62-year history to remain consecutively for a second term as prime minister.

Congress, a largely centrist party, is showing definite signs of regeneration after a steady decline through the past quarter century. That alone holds immense consequences for Indian politics. Equally, the parties of the Right (Bhartiya Janata Party - BJP) and the left (communist parties) have suffered a major setback, squashing their high hopes of running a new coalition government.

(...) [artículo aquí]