India’s ‘Massive Mandate’

The people of India, the world’s most populous democracy, have used the ballot box to give an unprecedented victory to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress-I Party that he leads. The vote was, as local commentators said, a “massive mandate.”

The mandate seems to have many meanings. There inevitably were elements of sympathy for the prime minister, brought to power by the assassination on Oct. 31 of his mother, Indira Gandhi. There must have been, for many, a fear of spreading communal violence after the brutal disorders that followed the assassination, and therefore a wish to use the ballot to consolidate the authority of the government. There was also a fear of external meddling, of suspicions that Pakistan somehow is encouraging the Sikh separatist movement in the Punjab, further reason for some voters to want to strengthen the hand of the prime minister.

National unity was demonstrated as never before. This marked the first time in the 37 years of nationhood that a single party had received more than 50% of the vote. Unity was a priority for Gandhi. His other two priorities, communal harmony and protection of minorities, will be more difficult to realize.

What Gandhi makes of this depends on a number of things, not all within his control. Both Pakistan and China can reassure the new government by avoiding actions that could arouse old animosities and by faithful respect of India’s sovereignty. And Gandhi himself bears a responsibility to avoid stirring up specters of foreign conspiracies to divert attention from real problems at home.

The real problems are legion, none more critical than sustaining India’s remarkable development and steady growth of recent years. He has shown strength in holding the elections on schedule. He has put his own stamp on the cabinet that he has appointed. He has made a commitment to weed out corruption, something that would strengthen his popular support immensely. And he has shown a special interest in development, an understanding of technology enhanced by his own engineering education in England, that India needs.

Among the missing qualifications for leadership is experience. Gandhi is thought of first as a former commercial-airline pilot, not as a politician. His political career spans less than four years. Even with skilled advisers and experienced cabinet members he faces a daunting task in responding to the unprecedented trust bestowed on him by India’s voters.