|
New Delhi: The Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance may opt for a muted celebration when it completes four years of coming to power next week.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken charge of the administration on May 22, 2004 after Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, in dramatic style, declined to become the prime minister and opted instead for the economist Singh to head the coalition government.
Interestingly, it is the government's poor record on the economic front that has forced the Congress party to keep the fourth anniversary of the government a low-key affair.
While the inflation rate continues to hover over 7 per cent, the growth rate has declined to about 3 per cent, although both the party and the government are trying to blame global downturn for it.
Unlike previous years, there are no plans as yet of Singh presenting documents about his government's achievements to Sonia, followed by dinner for lawmakers of all parties supporting his government.
The anniversary comes a day before the Left Front is scheduled to debate the crucial issue of whether to continue supporting the UPA government.
"The party is currently busy with Karnataka elections. The anniversary falls on the day of the third phase of polling in the state. Winning elections in a key state is more important to us than having the celebration bash," said a central office bearer of the Congress party.
The UPA government is currently mired in several controversies with the opposition and the Left Front attacking it constantly for its failure to arrest the price rise and for the contentious Indo-US civil nuclear deal.
Crucial
Winning the ongoing Karnataka elections is crucial for the party since it may set the tone for assembly elections in five states later this year and the fast approaching general elections.
The party's track record on this count is rather poor. It has lost power in Kerala, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya and Bihar since coming to power at the centre. It has also fared badly in last year's election in Uttar Pradesh, where it could win just 22 seats in the 403-member assembly.
Its only consolation in this period has been victories in Haryana, Puducherry and Goa. It is in power right now in just 10 states, out of which it heads coalition government in five states.
In an indication that the party was in no mood to celebrate the government's anniversary, it did not hold its annual conference of chief ministers this year.
During the past three years, the government came out with its achievements and publicised it extensively, listing all its success on all fronts including the list of its compliance with the Common Minimum Programme it had finalised with the Left Front.
|
