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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248610
TITLE=INDIA / POLITICS (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// EDS: PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT SOON.  WATCH
                  CN FILE AND UPDATE INTRO // 
INTRO:  INDIA FACES ITS THIRD NATIONAL ELECTION IN THREE YEARS 
AFTER THE COUNTRY'S CARETAKER CABINET RECOMMENDED FRESH ELECTIONS
ON MONDAY.   THE DECISION WAS CONVEYED TO INDIA'S PRESIDENT WHO 
MUST NOW OFFICIALLY DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT AND CALL NEW ELECTIONS.  
VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS MONDAY'S DEVELOPMENT BRINGS AN END TO 
MORE THAN A WEEK OF POLITICAL TURMOIL IN NEW DELHI FOLLOWING A 
VOTE OF  NO  CONFIDENCE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER 
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE ON APRIL 17TH.  
TEXT:  THE DECISION TO CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS CAME MONDAY AFTER 
IT BECAME APPARENT ON THAT INDIA'S CONGRESS PARTY COULD NOT FORM 
A GOVERNMENT.
NOW AN ELECTION MUST BE HELD WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND THE ONLY 
QUESTION IS WILL IT BE AN EARLY POLL IN JUNE OR ONE HELD LATER IN
SEPTEMBER AFTER THE WORST OF THE MONSOON SEASON IS OVER.  
INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTER PRAMOD MAHAJAN ANNOUNCED 
THE CABINET DECISION ON MONDAY, SAYING HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES 
PREFER AN EARLY POLL. 
                     //  INSERT ACTUALITY //
         WE FEEL A SEPTEMBER MONSOON IS WORSE THAN A JUNE MONSOON
         BECAUSE IN SEPTEMBER THERE ARE FLOODS IN THE COUNTRY AND
         MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE INACCESSIBLE. YOU CAN'T 
         CAMPAIGN YOU CAN'T SET BALLOT BOXES AND SECONDLY WE FEEL
         IT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY TO 
         CONTINUE WITH A CARETAKER GOVERNMENT FOR SIX MONTHS. 
                      //  END ACTUALITY //
MR. MAHAJAN ALSO SAYS PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE WILL TAKE HIS HINDU
NATIONALIST BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY BACK TO THE POLLS.  HE SAYS 
MR. VAJPAYEE WILL ALSO LIKELY BENEFIT FROM VOTER SYMPATHY AFTER 
BEING DEFEATED BY ONE VOTE IN A CONFIDENCE MOTION LED BY THE 
CONGRESS PARTY ON APRIL 17TH. 
FOLLOWING THE VOTE, THE LEADER OF THE CONGRESS PARTY, SONIA 
GANDHI, THE ITALIAN-BORN WIDOW OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER RAJIV 
GANDHI, HELD EXHAUSTIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SOME OF HER SMALL PARTY
ALLIES -- TRYING TO GET THE NECESSARY 272 VOTES TO ACHIEVE A 
MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT.  SUNDAY NIGHT SHE INFORMED PRESIDENT K-R 
NARAYANAN SHE WAS GIVING UP. 
                 //  INSERT GANDHI ACTUALITY //
         I TOLD THE PRESIDENT THAT I TRIED MY BEST TO CONVINCE 
         OUR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS THAT BELONG TO SECULAR 
         PARTIES BUT I HAVE BEEN  NOT  BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE 
         THEM.  UNFORTUNATELY I FEEL THAT WHILE MANY MANY PARTIES
         HAVE BEEN VERY SINCERE IN OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT, OTHERS
         HAVE PUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS BEFORE THE 
         INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY. 
                      //  END ACTUALITY //
NEWS OF EARLY ELECTION CAUSED THE BOMBAY STOCK MARKET TO DROP 
FOUR PERCENT AND PUSHED INDIA'S CURRENCY, THE RUPEE, TO NEW LOWS.
WHILE ELECTIONS ARE NOW INEVITABLE, THEY ARE NOT WELCOME. INDIA'S
LAST ELECTIONS, HELD JUST 13 MONTHS AGO, COST AN ESTIMATED 200 
MILLION DOLLARS.  SOME BUSINESS LEADERS SAY PUTTING OFF ELECTIONS
UNTIL SEPTEMBER WILL MEAN CONTINUED POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY WHICH 
WILL HURT THE ECONOMY.
HOLDING ELECTIONS IN JUNE COULD BE WORSE.  AN EARLY HEAT WAVE HAS
ALREADY KILLED NEARLY 50 PEOPLE ACROSS INDIA AND BY JUNE AVERAGE 
TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID-FORTIES (110 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) 
-- MAKING CAMPAIGNING --AND VOTING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.  (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/LTD/KL 
26-Apr-99 8:04 AM EDT (1204 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.





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