Vajpayee Toppled

After a 13 month tenure that included Nuclear and long-range missile tests and a goodwill bus ride to Lahore, Atal Vajpayee today resigned as the prime Minister of India. This swift turn of events was caused when a minority party The Bahujan Samaj Party, representing low Hindu castes voted against Vajpayee.

Dawn newspaper of Pakistan reported, "The BJP-led coalition won 269 votes and the opposition 270. The Lok Sabha held two votes on the confidence motion on Saturday, after there were doubts about an initial, electronic vote which showed a much bigger defeat for the government. Two sick BJP members were shepherded in to vote from wheelchairs."

The web magazine Rediff reports [George Iype], "While most Congressmen want Gandhi to lead the next government, some pointed out that the leadership's strategy of muddling through troubled waters is beginning to erode its credibility and image that were carefully cultivated over the last year."

What is next for India? Will Sonia Gandhi take over as the new Prime Minister? What does that mean for nuclear India and Pakistan? Already, the Indian stock markets have begun to quiver and could start to tumble. And, George Fernandes, the Defence Minister has gone on record with the statement, "President should call Vajpayee again: Inviting any combination of less than 271 (that is one more than the proven strength of coalition led by Vajpayee) will tantamount to mockery of the Constitution and the Parliamentary system of government."