India into the 21st Century : Politics

In February 2002 at least 58 Hindu activists were burned to death when their train was stopped by assailants believed to be local Muslims in Gujar?t. The state government, which was run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), failed to control several days of widespread violence, in which well over a thousand Muslims and hundreds of Hindus perished. The BJP was probably complicit in several of the attacks on Muslims and the destruction of Muslim homes, businesses, and shrines, which many observers labeled a “pogrom.” This was by far the worst communal violence since the Bombay riots of 1992-1993. Although national BJP leaders expressed regret at the occurrence and several leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) strongly condemned the attacks, the NDA continued in power.

In parliamentary elections in 2004, the NDA campaign motto, “India Shining,” emphasized economic development and prosperity. The election resulted in a surprise win for the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition.

The causes of the BJP-NDA defeat became a puzzle. Detailed analysis of the exit polls and other data suggested that the defeat was not due to economic factors, nor did an “anti-incumbency” factor play much of a role. Polls also indicated that voters were not dissatisfied with the leadership of Prime Minister Vajpayee, nor was there voter revulsion after the Gujarat pogrom of 2002.

India’s Communist parties and the Socialist Party declined to join the UPA coalition but offered it crucial support. Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was widely expected to be named prime minister. However, not wishing to challenge those who opposed her, including some in the UPA, due to her foreign-born status, she turned down the post.

The upset victory of the Congress Party led to the biggest one-day plunge in the history of India’s stock market, fueled by investors’ fears that economic reforms could be slowed or halted because of pressure from the political left. However, the market soon rallied on news that a respected architect of India’s economic reforms, former finance minister Manmohan Singh of the Congress Party, had been chosen to be India’s next prime minister. He became the country’s first Sikh prime minister. Pratibha Patil, former governor of the state of Rajasthan, was elected India’s first woman president in 2007. Encarta

Picture of India in Asia. Emmanuel BUCHOT