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| Narendra Modi |
The Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, future Prime Minister of India, celebrated Friday the overwhelming victory of his party in the legislative promising "to realize the dreams" of Indian people.
The provisional results gave early evening an absolute majority in parliament for the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Modi, a first in 30 years for a party without alliances.
Modi, son of a tea vendor 63 years with a controversial past, assured that he would work for all Indians in a first speech to his supporters in the angels in his constituency of Gujarat (west).
"The election fever has settled, the people gave their verdict and we said we need to move India to realize the dreams of 1.2 billion Indians," he has said from Vadodara.
"There are no enemies in a democracy, there is an objection. I'll take your love and turn it into progress before my back, "he added.
Provisional results exceed all expectations pollsters. Across the country, the festivities are in full swing since the morning in the offices of BJP, with sweets and crackers.
The winner of the laws has also accepted the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron in the UK where the Hindu nationalist leader was long persona non grata.
This triumph BJP reshapes the Indian political landscape, transforming the Hindu nationalist party in national political power at the expense of the Congress Party of Nehru Gandhi dynasty reduced to the bare, hard blow to a regular training to lead the country.
"This is the dawn of a new era. The lotus bloomed across India, "said the president of the BJP, Rajnath Singh, referring to the symbol of the party.
Expectations are high in the Indian population, who believes the new strong man of India can reproduce economic tested recipes in its state of Gujarat, he has headed since 2001.
Modi has monopolized the attention during the campaign, promising to embody a strong government able to revive the Indian economy while erasing his past controversial Hindu nationalist leader.
The BJP leader is viewed with suspicion by the Muslim minority since the 2002 riots in Gujarat.
In contrast, the Congress party spell spent ten years in power, corruption scandals and repeatedly punished for failing to revive growth and curb inflation.
"Victory and defeat are part of democracy (..). I accept responsibility for the defeat, "said the press Sonia Gandhi, president of the party.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had estimated in January that Modi would be a "disaster for the country" called his likely successor to congratulate him.
- Economy, a mammoth task -
Indian stock markets, after surging in the morning in anticipation of a clear victory for Modi, have ended slightly higher after an increase of 5% since the beginning of the week.
Investors are cautiously optimistic that some deem excessive, on its ability to get India its difficulties: poor infrastructure, inflation, etc..
"He has before him a huge task that will take time because the economic problems are really sharp. There is no magic wand, "said DK Joshi, chief economist at rating agency Crisil, to AFP.
The major industrial countries to support the leader of the BJP because of the welcome received by companies on their land in Gujarat while his social ascent convinced part of the population that could embody a strong and effective government.
Beyond Hindu nationalists, Modi managed to rally some of the poorest who traditionally voted for the Congress and its social programs.
"Modi arrived at the right time, while the population is won by the reduction," said Mohan Guruswamy, the think-tank Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The net loss would upset the Congress and the question of the capacity of the Gandhi family to lead the country. At 43, Rahul Gandhi led a campaign considered dull, unable to give an impetus and preliminary results gave him a small advance in his constituency.
Modi's arrival in power is a radical change for the major Western countries who boycotted the Indian leader for nearly ten years after the bloody riots in Gujarat in 2002.More than 1,000 people were killed in the riots, mostly Muslims. Modi has been accused of encouraging violence.
Pakistan, neighbor and rival India, praised Modi for his "impressive victory" while British Prime Minister David Cameron called the Indian leader to congratulate him.
During the campaign, Modi has failed to put forward the most radical program of BJP nationalist claims.
