Indian elections done. Time to get to work.
The masses in India couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, and if the country could’ve asked, it couldn’t have asked for a more practical result. It is a giant step towards stabilizing and building on secular and truly democratic foundations.
There are several articles and news reports now available from venerable sources with most of them chronicling the elation. The Sensex is supposed to sky-rocket in celebrating the unexpected and the euphoria, especially for Congress supporters is at a fever pitch. In a time like this it is easy to forget that India’s challenges still remain daunting, starting with the security situation.
When you are surrounded by nations such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and China — each presenting its own set of unique challenges from the outside — it is a tough balancing act inside. However, the burdens of extreme poverty, lack of education, malnutrition, power, water… on and on, still remain. Tavleen Singh has published a short but excellent OpEd piece in the Indian Express – “Great! Now get to work.” It’s definitely worth the read.
Here’s rooting for the new government to take shape quickly and get on with things purposefully. India can’t afford to waste this golden moment and the opportunity it presents.
Other good write-ups:
WSJ: Driving India’s Economic Reforms and Vote Tally Could Aid India Stocks
Economist: Congress comes back
Wall Street Journal (India) is reporting (10:15am IST, May 18)
Stocks traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange soared at the open Monday morning as investors cheered a decisive election victory over the weekend for the Congress Party-led alliance.
India’s benchmark Sensitive Index, or Sensex, rose 10.7% to 13479.39, leading to a one-hour trading suspension. The National Stock exchange Nifty index rose 14.5% to 4203.30.
http://india.wsj.com