Singh is King

I watched the Drama that unfolded on 22nd July in the Indian parliament , I was wondering the nuclar deal could have been completed at a later date as well.So what was the hurry? Was it a masterstroke or a gamble that paid off in the end for the Congress?

One thing is clear that the INC ( Congress) was working on for months together to garner support and that it was quite confident of winning the trust vote.

There can be various possibilities why congress chose to part ways with the Left and go for the trust vote .Some of them may be:

• It wanted to divert attention from the 'price rise/inflation issue'. The issue had to be dragged for weeks together and should be substantial enough
• It was waiting for the right time and allies to jettison the Left . It got the allies and the issue.
• It wanted opposition to split ranks so that it can gain some allies before the election.
• It hoped that it can hype the achievement and hope to gain some votes in incoming elections.
• Dr.Singh wanted to leave behind a big ticket achievement for himself as his legacy . This of course assuming that the government thinks that it has little hope to win the next election
• The congress being the core Left opposition party in states ruled by them did not want to go to elections with the Left and wanted to carve out an identity of itself before the elections.
• It was impossible to run the government with the left and July was the right time to jettison them and do what congress always wanted . As there can be only one no trust motion in a session the government was sure that elections would not be called early , at least not in 2008.
  

For a person who has been ridiculed as ' weakest Prime Minister ' by the opposition ,Dr. Singh has proved that he's exactly opposite. I never had any doubts about tenacity of a person who stirred India clear in early 90's financial mess and opened economy in face of stiff opposition. I think his soft speak and mild manners have been taken for as weakness. I do not think that there is any example in India's history of such a gamble by any PM.

The real reason may be clear in the future .

Opposition Parties

BJP - They opposed the deal just for the sake of it . This is going to go against them . The deal no doubt is good for the country.I'm really disappointed by their attitude as India's opposition party.

What happens next?

Kick start of the reforms process .Expect some disinvestments and administrative measures and if the government is bold enough some legislations as well. Remember the first substantial phase of the reforms in early 90's was carried out in flat 100 days . Government has the time to carry out reforms that it wants.