The Hour of India's Congress Party

The Congress -- the Grand Old Party, the GOP -- has done it again. Belying the predictions both of astrologers and political pundits, it has decisively established itself as the ruler of the political roast. More emphatically so, in fact, than in 2004. The forces of both Left adventurism -- which held the UPA government to ransom over economic reforms and the Indo-US nuclear deal -- and Hindutva chauvinism have been put in their place. This is reason enough for two cheers. The third cheer might need to be reserved for the moment.

Two clear and obvious dangers will confront the new, Congress-led government. Though it will no longer be hobbled by the shackles of the Left parties, who have unambiguously been discredited by the electorate, the new dispensation will still have to deal with the divisive forces of regionalism. Though its very respectable tally of seats on its own account will stand it in good stead, the Congress will, willy-nilly, have to share the bounties of office with its regional partners, each of who will seek to extract the maximum for itself. This could degenerate into a squabble for escalating claims.