金融时报:谁会成为印度新总理？

谁会成为印度新总理？

“印度经济改革之父”辛格将不再谋求连任总理，而他的国大党陷入腐败丑闻中。因此，人民党的纳伦德拉·莫迪很有可能凭借经济政绩和民族主义成为新总理。而声势浩大的反腐运动平民党，也有可能扮演搅局者的角色。

测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：

Congress party 国大党，印度独立后执政时间最长的政党，主席为尼赫鲁-甘地家族的索尼娅·甘地。

Bharatiya Janata party 印度人民党，具有印度教民族主义(Hinduism)色彩的印度第二大党。 Aam Aadmi(Common Man) party 近来兴起的平民党，以扫帚为竞选标志，以反腐为议题。 erudite ['erʊdaɪt] 饱学的

pogrom ['pɒgrəm; 'pɒgrɒm] 屠杀

heterogeneous['hɛtərə'dʒinɪəs] 异质的

The Common Man takes on India's elite（643 words）

FT editorial: Country heads for a turbulent and uncertain election

A general election in India, the world's largest democracy, is always remarkable to behold – and this year more than ever. This is not just because India now has nearly 800m eligible voters, an electorate more than double the entire population of the US. It is also because India is heading for one of its most uncertain national polls in decades, one set to be dominated by public anger over cronyism in government and the country's appalling public services.

For the past 10 years, India has been ruled by the Congress party, the centrist reference point of India's democracy. But under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress has become mired in corruption scandals and lacklustre economic management. For months, the assumption has been that the man to beat in poll, which must take place by May, will be Narendra Modi, prime ministerial candidate for the Bharatiya Janata party, India's Hindu nationalist opposition. He presents himself as a new strongman of Indian politics, one who would run India as effectively as he has run his home state of Gujarat.

However, victory for “the Lion of Gujarat” is not completely guaranteed. In recent weeks there has been an unexpectedly strong showing by the Aam Aadmi – or Common Man – party, an anti corruption movement. Its stunning performance in state assembly elections in New Delhi has led pollsters to wonder whether the AAP might ultimately block Mr Modi's chances of forming a government. It is too early to know for sure. But the sudden emergence centre stage of a political party formed just one year ago signals how much the Indian middle class wants the status quo to change.

If India's voters are angry, much of this is directed at Congress and the out-of-touch Gandhi dynasty. Manmohan Singh is an erudite and morally upright figure. But in recent years he has been appallingly passive in the face of rampant corruption inside his government. Rahul Gandhi, now the most likely prime minister candidate for Congress, is nowhere near demonstrating the political energy needed for the job.

India's voters are also incensed about the state of the economy. India's once vibrant growth rate has fallen by half in recent years to 5 per cent per annum. Some 10m Indians enter the workforce each year with little hope of a job. Widespread fury over the dire state of infrastructure and services is one of the main reasons why the Common Man party is surging.

But despite that success, the big question at this election is whether Mr Modi will be the man to capitalise on public dissatisfaction. He remains the central figure in Indian politics, the one dominating the national conversation. His appeal has much to do with his economic success in Gujarat, which has seen GDP growth of about 10 per cent a year since he came to office in 2001 (higher than India as a whole). His supporters say that record of success can now be exported across India.

Yet huge questions hang over Mr Modi. First and foremost is the pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat that happened on his watch in 2002. He has not been found guilty of any crime but has rarely shown any remorse for it. There are, moreover, real doubts about whether he can be an effective leader at a national level, given his reputation as an autocratic loner who rarely delegates.

India needs a leader who will give the country a new direction, build public confidence and sweep out corruption. But it is a complex and heterogeneous country of 28 states and needs a prime minister who can also unify the nation. Indians may be tired of the passive figure of Mr Singh and have an unclear picture of what Congress now stands for. But Mr Modi must prove in the coming campaign that he has a vision for India beyond aggressive Hindu nationalism.

请根据你所读到的文章内容，完成以下自测题目：

1.What's the major reason that the coming election is being regarded as “one of the most uncertain”?

A.Cronyism is plaguing the sitting government.

B.Manmohan Singh is an erudite and morally upright figure.

C.A pogrom against Muslims happened under Mr. Modi's watch.

D.The Common Man party surged from a anti corruption movement.

答案(1)

2.Whatis Mr. Modi's strongest point?

A.Gujarat State' economy grows much faster under his leadership.

B.As a nationalist, he has the capacity to unify the nation.

C.He has succesfully lead a anti corruption movement.

D.Many Indians are tired of the Gandhi family's dominance.

答案(2)

3.The editorial endorsed whom as the next Prime Minister?

A.Manmohan Singh, the current PM.

B.Nerendra Modi, governer of Gujarat State.

C.Rahul Gandhi, Congress party's new star.

D.Nobody.

答案(3)

* * *

(1)答案：A.Cronyism is plaguing the sitting government.

解释：B显然不是悬念丛生的原因，CD都是部分原因。A才是主因，它让实力最强的国大党面对很可能败选的局面。

(2)答案：A.Gujarat State' economy grows much faster under his leadership.

解释：His appeal has much to do with his economic success in Gujarat, BC是错误的，D是对方的弱点而不是莫迪自己的优势。

(3)答案：D.Nobody.

解释：辛格即将退休，拉胡尔·甘地经验不足。但莫迪也没得到作者的支持，文章在最后默认了莫迪当总理的可能性最大。 But Mr Modi must prove in the coming campaign that he has a vision for India beyond aggressive Hindu nationalism.