A ccepting a negative verdict from the voters with humility is a sign of a deep-rooted democratic political culture. The 2009 General Election in India once again confirmed its status as an established democracy. Multiple factors are always involved in producing a clear outcome in Indian elections, but these elections were widely read as a moment of national redemption, renewal and a retreat, though not the end of parochial political noise. While its neighbours were/are facing serious political crises of one kind or another, Indians endured and enjoyed a drawn-out battle between scores of political parties vying for their vote. Unlike 2004, when the media pundits and opinion polls got it embarrassingly wrong by predicting a resounding victory for the incumbent Bharatiya Janata party-led coalition, in 2009 it was supposed to be too close to call.
The electorate confounded the commentators and parties yet again by handing out a convincing, though not overwhelming,victory to the Congress-led coalition. All other parties conceded defeat. India is too diverse, divided and pluralistic for a one-size fits approach to work.Trying to interpret what an electorate ‘meant’ is never easy. Drawing sensible conclusions is harder still in India where national issues are all but drowned out in a cacophony of local politics.