Three months from now, India is holding its general elections in May with an eligible voting population of over 700 million people, roughly two and a half times the size of the population of the United States. The Indian National Congress, which has ruled for most of the country's 67 years as an independent nation, is posed to suffer a humiliating defeat to the opposition called the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Indian National Congress, most commonly referred to as the Congress Party, has been the ruling party for the last ten years under the premiership of Dr. Manmohan Singh. Singh has been credited as a economic reformer helping bring India out of a severe financial crisis back in 1991 to an economic powerhouse today. However, his leadership during his tenure as prime minister has been sharply criticized not only from the opposition party, but by the majority of Indians. With an array of corruption scandals costings the country billions of dollars, the average Indian has been fed up by the current political system. With elections just three months away, the Congress Party still has not decided whom to name as a candidate.
On the opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP named its candidate more than six months ago. Branding his image as a common man, BJP candidate Narendra Modi has been hailed as India's "last hope." He is credited for turning his state of Gujarat into a tremendous economic success. Placing forth his slogan of "Developed India" Modi's pro-business attitude has been praised by businesses leaders both in and out of India. However, controversy still surrounds his role as chief minister in 2002, when one of the deadliest religious riots broke out in which 1,000 people died, mostly Muslim. Modi, a Hindu, was criticized for not doing enough to protect and safeguard the Muslim minorities.
Whatever happens, the international community cannot ignore that the world's largest democracy is set to vote, thus having implications on the rest of the globe.
On the opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP named its candidate more than six months ago. Branding his image as a common man, BJP candidate Narendra Modi has been hailed as India's "last hope." He is credited for turning his state of Gujarat into a tremendous economic success. Placing forth his slogan of "Developed India" Modi's pro-business attitude has been praised by businesses leaders both in and out of India. However, controversy still surrounds his role as chief minister in 2002, when one of the deadliest religious riots broke out in which 1,000 people died, mostly Muslim. Modi, a Hindu, was criticized for not doing enough to protect and safeguard the Muslim minorities.
Whatever happens, the international community cannot ignore that the world's largest democracy is set to vote, thus having implications on the rest of the globe.
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