(Image source from: How the world views the 16th Lok Sabha Elections 2014?})
As the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2014 gets underway, expectations and speculations are running high on who would lead the country next. As mammoth and intensely complicated process it is, the parliament elections 2014 has become the moot point for all armchair discussions now, not only in India, but for people and media across the globe.
In India, poll survey is predicting the decline of Congress-led coalition and the return of Bharatiya Janata Party to power. So how does the rest of the world deem this game-changing election as?
We have compiled a collection of quotes from various editorials/newspaper reports across the world to help you gauge how nations view the world's biggest election.
COUNTRY: The United States of America
PAPER: The New York Times
QUOTE: “While a vibrant economy has created a record number of billionaires and an aspiring middle class, grossly exploitive working conditions are the lot of many Indians, including children. That’s why the next elections will be crucial.”
COUNTRY: The United Kingdom
PAPER: Guardian
QUOTE : “India needs reform, infrastructure and jobs for hundreds of millions of young people. The best hope lies with Congress.”
COUNTRY: France
PAPER: Agence France-Presse
QUOTE: “In Assam, a Congress stronghold, some disgruntled voters said they had been swayed by Modi’s promises of better infrastructure, strong leadership, jobs and a clean administration.”
COUNTRY: Germany
PAPER: Deutsche Welle
QUOTE: “The key to the outcome in the coming weeks may lie in the hands of the 100 million young Indians who will vote for the first time in this election. They owe nothing to Congress and Modi, the man who polarizes Indian society more than any other, may not be their first choice either. The outcome will be most likely a fragile coalition unable to deliver the reforms India needs most.”
COUNTRY: The United Arab Emirates
PAPER: The National
QUOTE: “Discontent with Congress is particularly strong among India’s business community and several leading corporate leaders have voiced their support for Mr Modi because of his pro-business stance. Modi has tried — with some success — to convince India’s voters that he stands for clean and efficient governance.”
COUNTRY: Tanzania
PAPER: The Citizen
QUOTE: “In fact the sub-story of this election is how well some of the Indian states are doing, despite a gloomy set-back for the country as a whole. Three other states have done as well as Gujarat in their economic growth- Maharashtra, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Modi deserves to be defeated. It would be a bad day for India if he won.”
COUNTRY: Hong Kong
PAPER: South China Morning Post
QUOTE: “The tamasha is loud and colourful, including noisy rallies and posters proclaiming that their chosen candidate will transform grubby, everyday life into a heavenly experience. There is a profusion of party symbols - above all the glorious uncertainty about who is going to win.”
Content Sources:
http://www.afp.com/en/news/india-voters-kick-worlds-biggest-election
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/23/indian-elections-modi-reform-lose-editorial
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/opinion/the-biggest-election.html?_r=0
http://www.thenational.ae/world/india/indian-voters-face-tough-choices-in-parliamentary-elections#ixzz2yBZDZkS9
http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/oped/Here-s-how-to-win-/-/1840568/2214678/-/item/1/-/rll2u5z/-/index.html
http://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1464598/indias-election-great-democratic-show-wheres-substance
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
