India National Congress: Resurgent and Emboldened
Wins Election with Best Performance in 25 years
Brian Karimi
Issue date: 5/21/09 Section: World Views
India's massive election process concluded this Saturday, with the incumbent India National Congress winning and gaining what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called a "massive mandate."
The National Congress, which won in 2004, not only won the election but picked up 57 seats, bringing its independent seat total to about 206. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the coalition headed by the Congress party, has secured around 262 of the 543 seats, just ten short of a majority. Congress's major rival, the conservative, Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured around 116 seats independently. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came away with around 157 seats. The Third Front, a coalition of smaller parties, came in third with 67 seats. About 60% of India voted.
With its victory, the Congress will no longer rely on the bosses of small parties or have its foreign and economic policies influenced by India's Community parties, which was the case during the first term a Congress alliance was in power.
The Congress party's history is intrinsically linked with India's. The party spearheaded the Indian Independence Movement, helping to oust the British and heading India's first democratic government. Its current president, Sonia Gandhi, is the wife of India's third prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. This makes her the daughter-in-law to the infamous Indira Gandhi, India's second prime minister who was also assassinated, and great daughter-in-law to Jawaharlal Nehru, India's legendary first prime minister. Criticized for being both Italian-born and her only moderate competence as a Hindi speaker, Sonia Gandhi is a major reason the Congress has resurged. Although she reluctantly entered politics and even attempted to keep her husband out of it, Mrs. Gandhi may also be the reason why the Gandhi dynasty continues to this day.
Many believe history is the only thing keeping the Congress in power, and critics cite the party's connection with Nehru and the Gandhi Family as a major reason it wins elections.
The National Congress, which won in 2004, not only won the election but picked up 57 seats, bringing its independent seat total to about 206. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the coalition headed by the Congress party, has secured around 262 of the 543 seats, just ten short of a majority. Congress's major rival, the conservative, Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured around 116 seats independently. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came away with around 157 seats. The Third Front, a coalition of smaller parties, came in third with 67 seats. About 60% of India voted.
With its victory, the Congress will no longer rely on the bosses of small parties or have its foreign and economic policies influenced by India's Community parties, which was the case during the first term a Congress alliance was in power.
The Congress party's history is intrinsically linked with India's. The party spearheaded the Indian Independence Movement, helping to oust the British and heading India's first democratic government. Its current president, Sonia Gandhi, is the wife of India's third prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. This makes her the daughter-in-law to the infamous Indira Gandhi, India's second prime minister who was also assassinated, and great daughter-in-law to Jawaharlal Nehru, India's legendary first prime minister. Criticized for being both Italian-born and her only moderate competence as a Hindi speaker, Sonia Gandhi is a major reason the Congress has resurged. Although she reluctantly entered politics and even attempted to keep her husband out of it, Mrs. Gandhi may also be the reason why the Gandhi dynasty continues to this day.
Many believe history is the only thing keeping the Congress in power, and critics cite the party's connection with Nehru and the Gandhi Family as a major reason it wins elections.
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