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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000593 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI PINR IN
SUBJECT: BHARAT BALLOT 09: MANMOHAN SINGH COMES OUT SWINGING 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: At a rally this week to release the 
Congress Party's election manifesto, Prime Minister Singh 
attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Prime Ministerial 
candidate L.K. Advani in unusually combative, personal terms. 
 He described Advani as an "opportunist" and "unfit" to be 
Prime Minister.  Further, Singh reminded the crowd that 
Advani "presided over" the Gujarat riots and the terrorist 
attacks on the Parliament and the Red Fort during his tenure 
as Home Minister.  As for the election manifesto, Congress 
Party leaders believe Indian voters are not in the mood for 
drastic change.  The manifesto makes the case for continuity 
while emphasizing the themes of security, dignity and 
prosperity.  The document contains specific populist programs 
such as food guarantees for the poor and more concessions on 
farm loans as well as pie-in-the-sky promises such as 
connecting all villages to broadband internet in three years. 
 While offering something for nearly everyone, the Congress 
Party is sticking with the "aam aadmi" (common man) approach 
that worked in the 2004 general elections.  And a newly 
emboldened Manmohan Singh clearly feels confident in making 
the campaign a head-to-head contest with Advani.  End Summary. 
 
Singh Takes On Advani 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) For weeks, BJP Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani 
has described Prime Minister Singh as "weak" or "the 
accidental Prime Minister."  On March 24 it was Singh's turn 
on the campaign trail after convalescing following bypass 
surgery in late January.  In unusually aggressive terms, the 
Prime Minister thrashed Advani and his record.  Singh told 
the crowd Advani's only contribution to the national welfare 
was his "prominent role" in the demolition of the Babri 
mosque in 1992, which led to Hindu-Muslim violence.  Staying 
with the communal theme, Singh criticized Advani for 
"presiding over" the Gujarat riots while he was Home Minister 
in 2002. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Shifting to security, the Prime Minister reminded 
the crowd that the terrorist attacks on the Parliament and 
Red Fort also took place during Advani's tenure as Home 
Minister.  Further, it was Advani who "rewarded" the 
hijackers of an Indian Airlines jet in 1999 by releasing 
them, Singh argued.  The sharp-edged and personal attacks on 
Advani are wholly unrepresentative of the usually soft spoken 
and mild tempered Prime Minister. 
 
Sonia: Manmohan Singh is PM Candidate 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi put to rest 
continuing media-fuelled speculation that she - or anyone 
else - would be the party's Prime Minister candidate.  When 
asked who would be the party's candidate, she coyly held up a 
copy of the manifesto, which has both her and the Prime 
Minister's portraits on the cover, with her hand over her own 
picture.  Then she declared more directly, "The Congress 
Party's candidate for the prime ministership is Manmohan 
Singhji," and lauded Singh's experience and competence. 
"Nobody stands in front of Manmohan Singh," she told the 
party faithful. 
 
Focus on Aam Aadmi 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (U) The Congress Party manifesto - largely authored by the 
experienced jack of all political trades Pranab Mukherjee - 
reflects the party's focus on the common man, which in India 
generally means the rural poor.  The document highlights the 
party's achievements over the last five years and offers more 
of the same.  It calls for expansion of the job guarantee 
program, a new food security law, health insurance for those 
below the poverty line, more concessions for farm debt, jobs 
reservations for women and a host of programs for 
"nation-wide skill development" and "empowerment of weaker 
 
NEW DELHI 00000593  002 OF 002 
 
 
sections of society."  While the manifesto mentions specific 
amounts of money for some programs and not for others, it 
does not contain anything as massive as the USD 17 billion 
farm loan waiver program of the 2008 budget.  One large 
Indian daily aptly - and only slightly pejoratively - 
described the manifesto as "Less of the same." 
 
Comment: Don't Fix What Ain't Broke 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) With the release of its aam aadmi-focused manifesto, 
the Congress Party appears to be banking on a (perhaps 
complacent) desire for political continuity within the Indian 
electorate.  The Indian voter is not clamoring for change. 
The aggressive attack by the Prime Minister on his rival 
seems to signify a belief in the Congress Party leadership 
that they can wrong foot the BJP and define the terms of the 
debate.  The attack's personal nature implies that the 
Congress Party would welcome an election viewed largely as a 
choice between the sober economist Singh, and the "Hindu 
hardliner" Advani.  Naturally, Advani will be busy burnishing 
his "moderate" credentials and raising the volume on his 
argument that the Prime Minister is merely the lapdog of 
Sonia Gandhi.  But infighting among the BJP leadership has 
hurt the party and caused it to lose focus.  As the 
opposition, the BJP needs to develop a compelling case for 
change.  Thus far i hasn't done so.  But regardless, it will 
likely be regional party alliances that determine the outcome 
of the election.  End Comment. 
WHITE