Indian PM addresses press over first year

Opinions on the first year are mixed. Some polls have found that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has high approval ratings and would likely be re-elected if an election took place tomorrow, while others say there is a feeling that the government has not done enough to address critical issues such as rising prices and corruption.

Singh said on Monday he would act to curb this latter phenomenon: "I would like to say that our government has been very clear from the beginning that corruption is a problem and if I come to know that there is any involvement at any level in corruption, we will take action."

There is a growing controversy over charges that precious airwaves for 2G were sold to telecom firms at throwaway prices, resulting in losses worth billions of dollars. Questions have been raised with regard to 15 billion dollars the government is to get from a recent 3G spectrum auction.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have called for telecom minister A. Raja's resignation, saying the auction was a major scam.

"Trust deficit has to be tackled"

Addressing journalists on a number of issues, ranging from Maoist violence to price rises, 77-year-old Singh, who is the second prime minister only after Nehru to have a second innings, said the first year had been one of "reasonable achievement" and that he would now transfer his energies to transforming relations with Pakistan.

"It is my conviction that a major problem between our two countries, why we haven't been able to make headway in the composite dialogue, is that there has been a lack of adequate trust. The trust deficit is the biggest problem and unless we tackle it, we cannot move to substantive negotiations," he said.

The UPA came back to power a year ago on a numerically stronger footing in the Lok Sabha but far short of a majority. Flush with the success of the rural employment guarantee scheme and the path-breaking Right to Information (RTI) Act in its first stint, the UPA promised to bring in ambitious legislation.

"Happy to make place for anybody"

However, in its second stint, the government's energies have so far focused on inflation, particularly regarding food and essential items and increased Maoist violence in the country. The women's reservation bill that promises to provide 33 percent of all seats in parliament and state assemblies to women and the food security bill have yet to become law.

A key question in many recent opinion polls has been whether general secretary Rahul Gandhi would make a better prime minister. Singh on Monday said he was not going anywhere yet and had an agenda to complete, however he did say he would make way in future.

"Let me say that I sometimes feel that younger people should take over. As and when I think the Congress party makes that judgment, I would be happy to make place for anybody."

Despite the mounting controversies involving ministers in his cabinet and rising food prices, Singh left it to the historians to judge his legacy, saying he was more concerned about the task at hand.

Author: Murali Krishnan (New Delhi)
Editor: Anne Thomas