India: Landslide victory of BJP in the recent elections
May 17.2014: Catholic Bishops' Conference of India "congratulated Narendra Modi and
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their victory," said His Beatitude Mar Baselios
Cleemis Thottunkal, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI)
as he spoke about the country’s recent election. Addressing directly the new administration,
the prelate, who is major archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankara Church, and
president of the CBCI the apex body of the Catholic church pledged to "renew the
commitment, brotherly dialogue and mission to serve the country as the Catholic Church
in India has always done." Archbishop Albert D'Souza of Agra, the secretary-general
of the CBCI said "the church should not be unduly concerned. We should not be alarmed
or be scared." Explaining that the church has a "prophetic role" to play, the archbishop
added that "the challenge before the church is to take a stand and remain alert to
ensure that the sanctity of the constitution is upheld." The BJP won a clear majority
of 284 seats from the 543 parliament seats at stake, while the National Democratic
Alliance it heads with other parties totaled 334 seats. Polling occurred in nine phases
from April 7 to May 12. On the other hand, the Congress party, which has ruled India
for a decade, claimed only 47 seats compared to the 206 seats it had won in the 2009
election. "This result shows the maturity of the Indian electorate. The people have
given a decisive verdict for a change," Archbishop D'Souza said.