The recent results of the Uttar Pradesh state election in India may be an ominous prelude of what is to come for the Congress Party, India’s ruling party during national elections in 2014.
Out of an anticipated 100 seats, the Congress Party was able to win forty in the national assembly, a disappointing fourth place finish. The Congress Party has been hobbled by months of stagnant policy reforms, corruption scandals, a depreciating rupee, and high inflation.
These factors coupled with the advanced age of many of the party’s senior leaders like Manmohan Singh have led many to question the future of the party.
Congress parties’ poor performance may put the political future of Rahul Ghandi in doubt. He is the son of current Congress President Sonia Ghandi and heir apparent to the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty and potential Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014.
But without the ability to garner votes in Uttar Pradesh, which has eighty seats in parliament and 200 million people may delay his political career at a time when the Congress Party can ill afford it.
All of this is important because the Congress Party has been credited with high rates of economic growth that have rivaled China. Few, if any parties in India have the experience of governing that the Congress Party has.
Any upheaval in government has pointed economic implications for India. Considering the problems that any party who takes control in India will likely inherit, there could be some rough days ahead for the world’s largest democracy.
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