Foreign media tracks state election results, lauds AAP

New

, Dec 8: "India's Congress party punished in state polls", reads Reuters headline. UK's major newspaper Guardian's headline reads thus - "India's Congress party suffers local election 'meltdown'. "Indian heartland votes give BJP boon over Congress", writes Washingtin Post.

Various western media houses have been closely watching the election results in India. The assembly elections are very crucial as they are set to have huge impacts on the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

The new entrant Aam Aadmi Party has been lauded by all the media groups. "A new political party called Aam Aadmi Party - or Common Man's Party - played spoiler in the race. The debutant party's volunteers had campaigned throughout Delhi's poorest neighborhoods ahead of the polls", says Washington Post.

"The party is led by Arvind Kejriwal, a 45-year-old former bureaucrat-turned-activist and amateur politician, who has capitalised on public anger at poor services, corruption and the complacency of India's political elite. In a country where many are illiterate, political parties rely on a symbol for recognition - the AAP's is a broom", writes The Guardian.

The failure of Indian National Congress has been discussed by all the newspapers. Most of them observe that the congress was defeated doe to widespread corruption, slowing growth and soaring prices.

"The results make it clear that Congress's customary promises can no longer compel a younger and more urbanized electorate, and that it has failed to project an image of leadership at a time when voters crave it", observes NYT.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, has waged a fierce campaign fronted by its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, who has charmed businesses but worried critics that his rise could worsen sectarian tensions between India's majority Hindus and its 138 million Muslims", writes Washington Post.

Western world has always seen the rise of Modi in India suspiciously, thanks to the right-wing ideologies he support.

"Mr. Modi, the son of a tea-stall operator, presents himself as a self-made man, sneering at Mr. Gandhi as a "shehjada," or prince, and frequently questioning the health of Mr. Gandhi's mother, respected party leader Sonia Gandhi", says NYT.

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