NEW DELHI: The unexpected landslide victory of the Congress Party in India's general elections has unshackled the incoming government from the tricky task of managing its earlier coalition for political survival, especially the rabidly anti-American Left parties. There is little doubt that the team of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, all-powerful Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi -- who led the election campaign -- will look to firm up some of their earlier aims, given the near-majority and stability that the party and its allies now command.In fact, the new government can no longer offer excuses for not delivering on its promises -- whether in pushing for further economic reforms, building infrastructure, implementing security measures and diplomatic initiatives, and developing education and healthcare frameworks that benefit all.If the election results deliver a message, it is that the people of India are looking to their political representatives for a focused national policy that promotes development and provides for stable government. It represents a mature verdict that sidelines regional parties with limited and parochial notions about national issues, and blunts the emergence of regional satraps -- such as Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh -- who ride on caste politics. At the same time, Indian voters rewarded leaders and parties -- in states such as Bihar, Delhi and Orissa -- that have provided corruption-free, pro-growth governance. With expectations so high, Congress cannot afford to be complacent. Given such a mandate, India's foreign policy is likely to reflect domestic concerns and, in particular, Indians' aspirations for a better life. That means defusing conflict scenarios with Pakistan that could set back business and economic prospects, and ensuring that the derailed peace process gathers momentum -- even while security issues are not ignored.
Friday, August 14, 2009 MUMBAI: A 26-year-old woman died Thursday of H1N1 swine flu in the southern city of Bangalore, raising India's death toll from the virus to 20, authorities said.The death was the first reported in India's information technology capital, the Press Trust of India reported.Meanwhile in Pune, the worst-affected in India, two more victims of the virus died Thursday, raising the death toll in that western city near Mumbai to 12, the report said. The victims were an 11-month-old boy and a 75-year-old old woman.US media reported movie halls, schools and colleges were ordered closed Thursday for three days to a week in Mumbai, the commercial and financial capital of the country, as fear of the pandemic spread.Prajakata Lavangare, a spokeswoman for the government of Maharashtra state of which Mumbai is the capital, said similar orders were issued in Pune, which is also located in the state.The woman who died in Bangalore was identified only as Roopa, a teacher in
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