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Strategies & Market Trends : India Coffee House -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JPR who wrote (7819)	10/6/1999 11:51:00 AM
From: JPR	Respond to of 12475

Ear-splitting firecrackers and smoky fireworks added to the melee of party members who were celebrating the BJP's sweep of the seven parliamentary constituencies in the capital, Delhi. Almost half a day into the mammoth process of counting some 360 million votes, state television said the BJP and its allies had won 37 parliamentary seats and were on course to win 194 others for which a final result had not been declared. The main opposition Congress party and its allies had won just 13 seats and were leading in 114 other constituencies. BJP party supporters blocked traffic in the heart of the capital, and set off firecrackers on the roads. 'It's not every day we sweep elections,' said one as policemen with batons stood watchfully by. 'Soon this flag will be all over India,' said BJP member Harjeet Kaur Jolly, pointing to the party's saffron and green flag with the lotus symbol. Counting of ballots cast for the 543 parliamentary seats at stake started on Wednesday and the final results, except for five constituencies where voting was postponed, were expected by Thursday evening. The BJP's V.K. Agarwal, who defeated the Congress party's star candidate, former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, had to refuse a profusion of sweets and garlands offered by supporters eager to demonstrate their loyalty. 'At the illegal betting bazaar, the odds were 10-to-one against me. But right from the beginning, I knew I would win,' he said. Sweetmeat vendor Rajbir Singh, quick to spot an opportunity, hawked his wares outside the BJP head-office. 'I have sold some and hope to sell the rest of it soon. Maybe someone will buy the whole lot...,' he said. The contrast at rival Congress party's office could not have been more stark. The office was almost deserted, except for camera crews and a few curious onlookers. 'The party which won in a big way in the (Delhi state) assembly election eight months back has drawn a blank in New Delhi,' said Sudershan Khatri, a leader of the youth wing of Congress. 'It clearly shows that the party was complacent.'