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NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh Government, in its second tenure, is giving maximum focus on rejuvenation of the rural economy with the objective of increasing the incomes of rural masses for expanding the domestic market in a big way during the next five years.

Despite the early hiccups in cabinet formation, the Congress managers are in a jubilant mood. They feel in future elections, the regional parties will crumble under a more severe tsunami. A general secretary even reeled out the massive revival plans. Is such euphoria justified?

CHANDIGARH: The significance of the Lok Sabha elections outcome in Jammu and Kashmir does not lie in the ruling National Conference-Congress alliance's winning all the six seats but in the failure of the People's Democratic Party's soft separatism and the Sangh Parivar's communal card.

Foreign punters on the ring were willing to bet large amounts on the election-eve favourite, a majority Congress-led government at the Centre, expecting high dividends. They bought shares worth US$ 1.5 billion from India's secondary market last month. The favourite obliged. The value of their investments has already appreciated by about 20 per cent.

JAIPUR: The most significant outcome of the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan is that the Congress won 20 out of the total 25 seats, reversing the 2004 result when the BJP had bagged 21 seats. But, no less significant is the defeat of Gujjar leader K. S. Bainsla by an equally formidable opponent, Namonarain Meena.

Does anyone remember how Dr. Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister in 2004? While Singh is King today, last time he got the job only because Congress president Sonia Gandhi decided to bestow it on him. His second stint in office begins with a lot of goodwill and more confidence. There is a clear legitimacy after the spectacular verdict for which Singh gets a fair share of credit.

NEW DELHI: With the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress getting a clear mandate to run the new Government at the centre for the next five years, the Indian industry is hoping for fresh buoyancy in the economic activities in the country leading to high growth after tackling the immediate factors of present slowdown.

LUCKNOW: The people of Uttar Pradesh have voted for change, which is reflected in the great revival of the Congress Party after a gap of 20 years.

BHOPAL: A process of intense soul-searching has begun in the BJP following the loss of nine Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. Eight of these seats have gone to the Congress while one has been snatched by the BSP.

The BJP's travails haven't ended. It may have fended off an immediate crisis by persuading L.K. Advani to stay on. But it is clear that, for the rest of his term as leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, he will be regarded as the “night watchman”, the term which a smart-alecky BJP member had used to describe Manmohan Singh.