DATE=10/11/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDIA / PRIME MINISTER (L)
NUMBER=2-254870
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: India's Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee,
was named Prime Minister on Monday following his
coalition's victory in parliamentary elections. Mr.
Vajpayee will be formally sworn in on Wednesday and he
says he is confident that he will be able to fill out
a full five-year term in office. VOA's Jim Teeple has
the latest details from our New Delhi bureau.
TEXT: Atal Behari Vajpayee made the short trip from
his official residence to the massive sandstone
presidential palace, where he was appointed prime
minister by K-R Narayanan, India's president and
ceremonial head of state.
Mr. Vajpayee presented a letter to the President
indicating he has the support of support of both his
Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic
Alliance - the coalition of more than 20 parties he
leads which now controls more than 300 seats in
India's 545-seat lower house. Atal Behari Vajpayee
has been prime minister three times, but he has never
had the majority he now enjoys. As he accepted his
appointment, Mr. Vajpayee said he was confident his
third term in office will be his longest.
// VAJPAYEE ACTUALITY //
We have the majority, a clear majority -- a
decisive majority.
// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // Mr. Vajpayee has not indicated what his
cabinet preferences will be. There is reported to be
intense lobbying by party leaders within the governing
coalition for cabinet positions. // END OPT //
Mr. Vajpayee's previous government lasted just 13-
months and was toppled by one vote in a parliamentary
confidence motion led by the opposition Congress
Party. After Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi was
unable to form a government on her own, India's third
election in three years was called. Following their
election rout, four senior Congress Party leaders have
resigned, but party officials say Sonia Gandhi, the
Italian-born widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi will stay on as Congress Party president.
For his part Atal Behari Vajpayee says voters want
stability now.
// VAJPAYEE ACTUALITY //
All political parties have learnt a lesson, and
the people have expressed their clear opinion
that they want a stable government.
// END ACTUALITY //
Mr. Vajpayee says his top priority is to push ahead
with what he describes a second generation of economic
reforms. Economic liberalization was begun nearly ten
years ago, but the reforms have been slowed down in
recent years by a lack of political consensus over how
much privatization and foreign investment should be
allowed in India. Since Mr. Vajpayee's re-election,
India's main stock market, the Bombay Sensex Index,
has risen to new heights, passing the five thousand-
point barrier twice. (Signed)
NEB/JLT/KL
11-Oct-1999 07:10 AM EDT (11-Oct-1999 1110 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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