Can Congress Survive the Election?

[Donald L. "Skip" Conover]

The recent attack on Mumbai highlighted the weakness of the Indian government. Can the Congress Party survive the coming national election? What are your thoughts?

[Narendra N Kondajji]

Dear Donald,

I think the Congress Party would survive yet for a simple reason that opposition formation is no more competent than Congress. India does not need any new ‘ideas’. What is needed is will to implement existing ones in time. In my state of Karnataka, BJP is ruling. I do not see any fundamental difference in their attitude towards governance and developmental issues. They have not grasped the possibilities of the idea of 'India' and there is no hunger in them to bring about a change.

If I have to choose in the next general election, I do not see any better alternative to the troika of Dr Manmohan Singh, PC and Kamalnath. Recent state election results have indicated that development is a central issue today for Indians and they will chose a formation that will have a higher probability of achieving that end. For a common man, Mumbai tragedy is an issue but not the only issue. And BJP's claim about managing the security issues better is very hollow.

Regards,
Narendra

[Charul Shukla]

Yes congress will survive not because of their pros, its mainly because of local level parties and their cons