12/09/2013, 00.00
INDIA
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Elections in India: "great concern" over victory of Hindu nationalists

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP ) wins in Rajasthan , Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Local Catholic sources tell AsiaNews : "The results are serious, because the party is supported by the fundamentalists”. Congress (secular party at the helm of the central government) lost because "the people are exasperated with corruption, the party did not present a real political program ; inflation is bringing people to their knees ."

New Delhi ( AsiaNews) - With an absolute majority, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP, the opposition party ) won the local elections in Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. An important result , which sees the defeat of Congress (secular, majority party) six months before the vote for the new prime minister of India. According to local Catholic AsiaNews sources, the results "are quite serious. As Christians and a minority there is a bit of concern because the BJP is backed by Hindu fundamentalist organizations such as the Rashtriya Sawayamsevak Sangh (RSS ) " .

In Madhya Pradesh , the BJP won 165 seats , compared to 58 for Congress . In Chhattisgarh the vote tight: here the Hindu nationalists won 49 seats, compared to 39 for the the secular party . But in Rajasthan the BJP victory was overwhelming: Congress, which for years has led the Indian state, managed to win just 21 seats, against the 162 of its opponents .

Delhi also went to vote. Here, the BJP has emerged as the first party, with 31 seats out of 70, but the result of the new anti-corruption party Aam Admi Party (AAP , "party of the common man" ), was most impressive, winning 28 seats . A run-off is now likely.

"The concern - AsiaNews sources confirm -is that we do not know how they will treat minorities, but there are still six months to the general election, so let's see how Congress can react to this defeat." Of course , they explain, " the party's inability to understand the Indian peopke's exasperation at the corruption scandals counted. People do not want to have anything to do with corrupt politicians. Moreover, its leaders have not spoken with the community about their program, what they want to do. There was a lack of communication".

The Congress was also penalized for certain "arrogance" shown towards allies : " Despite being the leader of the majority coalition [ United Progressive Alliance , ed] , every now and then it should have listened and given space to smaller parties . The people do not like this attitude". Finally, "even the high inflation has influenced the election. Costs of food and other basic necessities are increasing. Even if the problem is resolved in the long term and the economy continues to grow, right now the population is feeling the pressure".

 

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