Scandal blow puts Manmohan Singh govt in danger

NEW DELHI: There is no clamor for an early general election in India, but the latest blow dealt to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a massive corruption scandal raises the risk that his wounded government could fall well before its mandate runs out in 2014.

Singh is unlikely to quit following last week’s Supreme Court order for 122 telecoms licenses to be revoked, a deeply embarrassing ruling that accused the government of “virtually gifting away an important national asset at throwaway prices.”

According to Sanjaya Baru, a former media adviser to the 79-year-old prime minister, Singh has seriously considered stepping down at times during the turbulence of the past 12 months but has plodded on out of loyalty to the ruling Congress party.

Few really know the prime minister’s mind. Indeed Singh’s public silence on many matters is the butt of internet jokes, one of which has his frustrated dentist telling him: “You can open your mouth now, I’m your dentist.”

Even if Singh did go, he has several ambitious colleagues who could step in to lead Congress into the next elections, hoping that they can shake off the unpopularity that has closed in on the party since it won a second five-year term in 2009.

There was some rare relief for the government on Saturday, when a court cleared Singh’s interior minister of signing off on the sale of the mobile network licenses, which may have cost the public exchequer up to $36 billion in lost revenues.

Buoyed by this ruling — which kept the blame for short-changing the nation from spreading across Singh’s cabinet — the Congress party is most likely to try to limp on, just as it did through 2011.

Last year it survived the detention of a minister over the telecoms scandal, country-wide protests over corruption, flip-flopping by fickle regional parties in its coalition, and dismay over a policy paralysis as economic growth was skidding. It even blundered into an embarrassing legal face-off with the country’s army chief over his date of birth and retirement.

The question now is whether it can ride out 2012 too.

“BETS ARE ON”

Two looming events could decide that: the first is a month-long election in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh that gets under way this week, and the second is the budget session of parliament in March.

“Ever since the (telecoms) scandal blew sky high in October 2010 … the regime in Delhi has acquired the traits of a rubber band that stretches and shows great elasticity but is yet to snap,” the current affairs weekly Outlook said in a cover story.

“Everyone’s waiting and bets are now on as to whether this government will survive the budget session,” it said. “The Manmohan regime may be too much of a liability for regional parties (in the coalition) to carry the burden for much longer.”

Congress is expected to fare better in the Uttar Pradesh poll than last time, when it won a mere 22 of the state assembly’s 403 seats, in part thanks to the tireless campaigning of Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has ruled India for most of its six decades of independence.

But if there is only a modest improvement in its seat tally, Congress will be further weakened.

This may encourage the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to go on the offensive. Coalition partners that Congress relies on for a parliamentary majority could also be tempted to desert it during the budget session in March.

If the government fails to win enough support in parliament for its 2012/13 Finance Bill in mid-March, then, under the constitution, it must resign, which could trigger a mid-term election.

“How many members of parliament want an election now? There’s no mood for it. The BJP doesn’t want one because they are not sure that they can come to power,” said one political insider, who asked not to be named. “But accidents can happen.”

One coalition partner that could be tempted by an early election is Mamata Banerjee, a firebrand who leads the Trinamool Congress party. Congress relies on the 19 parliament seats that Banerjee’s West Bengal-based party brings to the ruling coalition, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but at times Banerjee has seemed to be its fiercest opponent and there is a risk that she could pull her support from the government.

If that were to happen, Congress may turn to the Samajwadi Party, which is expected to emerge first or second in the Uttar Pradesh election, to join and rescue its coalition.

Many in Congress see 41-year-old Rahul Gandhi as the answer to the party’s troubles. If he delivers a strong result in the Uttar Pradesh election, pressure could mount on him to take the reins of the party sooner than his current long-game plan.

“If Congress does remarkably well in Uttar Pradesh, if he can claim there’s a Rahul wave, many would say that this is one way of liberating themselves from this (telecoms) controversy,” the insider said. “The argument would be: here’s a young man bringing votes back to the party and now it’s time to give the younger generation a chance.”

Resolve Siachen and Sir Creek, Kashmir can wait: Musharraf

Former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf says ties between India and Pakistan can be restored almost immediately by focusing on just two disputes – Sir Creek and Siachen, sans having addressed the Kashmir issue.
Musharraf, who recently launched his own political party in order contest the next general elections due in 2013, told an Indian English daily (Hindustan Times) that India and Pakistan can tackle these two issues on the basis of previous agreements – without having to address Kashmir first. Sir Creek, a 96-km strip of water sandwiched by the marshes of the Rann of Kutch, could be resolved on the basis of the findings of a joint survey undertaken by the two navies in 2007, Musharraf told the Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. Both the navies in my time have carried out joint survey of the creek and its extension into the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) into the sea. So we know the exact conflict area – why can’t we solve it? You can declare it as a no-go area for both sides not to enter, or you could say this is a joint holding for joint explorations to be carried out. I was ready for any solution, Musharraf said about his talks with the Manmohan Singh-headed UPA-1 government.About Siachen Glacier, the planet’s highest battleground where Indian and Pakistani troops have fought sporadically since 1984, he said the two sides had agreed to the withdrawal of troops to beyond certain lines – and the only thing that is left is authentication of the present position.It is as simple as that – and there were many alternatives that were discussed. So this is a very very simple issue of resolving the Siachen dispute, and I believe that while prime minister Manmohan Singh was very keen, it is the Indian army which objected – this is what I’m told, I’m not 200 per cent sure – although the Indian army suffers may be about 10 times more than what the Pakistan Army suffers because of the terrain and weather acting against them much more.Musharraf, who spoke in his luxurious west London flat, said the two sides don’t have to wait for Kashmir to be resolved.
One could easily go one by one. It will encourage and build confidence. There was no difference of opinion.Even on Kashmir, the former general said, India and Pakistan had worked out some parameters of graduated demilitarisation, giving of maximum self-governance, and thirdly an over-watch mechanism involving India, Pakistan and Kashmiris.

Indias economy to grow by 8.5% in 2010/11: PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the economy is expected to grow by 8.

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Indias economy to grow by 8.5% in 2010/11: PM

Gilani, Manmohan meeting begins

THIMPHU: A meeting between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh has begun here.

PM Gilani meets Indian counterpart

THIMPHU: A key meeting between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh has begun here.

The meeting is underway at the residence of Bhutan’s Prime Minister’s residence. There is no fixed agenda for this one-on one meeting between the two premiers. Foreign ministers and secretaries will join the meeting later.

SAARC is a glass half empty, says Manmohan

THIMPHU: The 25-year experience of SAARC has been like a glass half empty, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday while stressing that the 21st century cannot be an Asian one unless “South Asia marches together”.

“In looking back at these two and a half decades (of SAARC), we can claim the glass is half full, and compliment ourselves, or, we can admit the glass is half empty and challenge ourselves,” Manmohan Singh said in his address at the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit.

“I believe we should challenge ourselves by acknowledging that the glass of regional cooperation, regional development and regional integration is half empty.”

The prime minister said it was unfortunate that the people of South Asia together do not have the voice they should have in the global polity.

“The 21st century cannot be an Asian century unless South Asia marches together,” he said.

The two-day summit began on Wednesday afternoon in this idyllic capital city of Bhutan at its Tashicho Dzong, the main secretariat building, which houses the National Assembly Hall, the office of King and the throne room.

Manmohan Singh said intra-regional trade flows in the region have grown and transport and telecommunication links have expanded. “But the share of intra-regional trade and investment flows in total trade and investment flows in South Asia is far below what we see in East and South-east Asia. It is also well below the potential.”

“We have created institutions for regional cooperation, but we have not yet empowered them adequately to enable them to be more pro-active,” the Indian prime minister said.

He said the challenge before the grouping was to “translate institutions into activities, conventions into programmes, official statements into popular sentiments”.

According to Manmohan Singh, declarations at summits and official level meetings don”t mean cooperation. “Regional cooperation should enable freer movement of people, of goods, of services and of ideas. It should help us re-discover our shared heritage and build our common future.”

No Meeting Between Gilani And Dr Manmohan

TrendPK.com No Meeting Between Gilani And Dr Manmohan:ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is unlikely to meet his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh in Washington, where they are scheduled to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on April 12 and 13.
Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Abdul Basit said he [...]

Gilani Wants Proposals For Balochistan Package Finalised

TrendPK.com Gilani Wants Proposals For Balochistan Package Finalised:The implementation committee on Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan asked ministries and divisions concerned on Saturday to finalise by Dec 15 their proposals for implementation of administrative, financial and political reforms identified by a sub-committee of the parliamentary-cum-cabinet on Balochistan. The sub-committee in its report, presented in a joint sitting

TrendPK.com Gilani Wants Proposals For Balochistan Package Finalised:The implementation committee on Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan asked ministries and divisions concerned on Saturday to finalise by Dec 15 their proposals for implementation of administrative, financial and political reforms identified by a sub-committee of the parliamentary-cum-cabinet on Balochistan.
The sub-committee in its report, presented in a joint sitting [...]

India-Russia Ties A Factor Of Peace And Stability: PM

TrendPK.com India-Russia Ties A Factor Of Peace And Stability: PM:Describing India-Russia relations as “a factor of peace and stability” in a changing world, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday left for Moscow on a three-day trip during which the two strategic partners are expected to take “yet another step forward” by signing

TrendPK.com India-Russia Ties A Factor Of Peace And Stability: PM:Describing India-Russia relations as “a factor of peace and stability” in a changing world, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday left for Moscow on a three-day trip during which the two strategic partners are expected to take “yet another step forward” by signing [...]

Naeem Khan

TrendPK.com Naeem Khan:Naeem Khan, Michelle Obama looked dazzling in a sleeveless gold dress and shawl as she and President Obama welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur for the first official state dinner on Tuesday night

TrendPK.com Naeem Khan:Naeem Khan, Michelle Obama looked dazzling in a sleeveless gold dress and shawl as she and President Obama welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur for the first official state dinner on Tuesday night.
Mrs. Obama’s dress was designed by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan.

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