India's Congress party gets a no-excuses mandate

FRESH off a surprising and overwhelming victory in India's parliamentary elections, the Indian National Congress party is quickly learning about the curse of expectations that come with a big win.
For the past five years, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance spent its time fending off political attacks from three other coalitions representing dozens of parties with finely sliced regional and political interests. The emphatic endorsement produced by its re-election was historic.
The opportunity to retain power and control a substantial number — if not an outright majority — of the 545 seats in Lok Sabha, the House of the People, is a new experience. India's election involves more than 700 million voters, so polling is spread over five weeks. This April-May cycle yielded a 60-percent turnout.
Three stars were affirmed. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will form another government. He will work closely with Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and her 38-year-old-son, Rahul Gandhi, who managed the party's national campaign.
India has a long list of troubles, but factional politics have been all-consuming. The message from voters was direct: Get something done. For all of the domestic issues of poverty, education and health care, economic growth stirred aspirations to make India a stable regional and international presence.
Certainly, the United States has opted to promote India as a counterbalance to China, and India has a role to play in U.S. policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The timing is perfect for legislation introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle. His U.S.-India Interparliamentary Exchange Act of 2009 would establish annual visits between the legislative bodies. Lawmakers will not lack for topics to discuss: trade, security, immigration and regional tensions. McDermott's approach, modeled after other successful international exchanges, is good legislation.
Indian voters empowered the Congress party to act, and they neutered others that essentially existed only to harass and distract and impede progress. Now all Singh has to do is deliver