As They See It

The Guardian
London

In the absence of ideological or policy differences, the personal qualities of these two individuals (Atal Behari Vajpayee and Sonia Gandhi) have become the focus of the campaign. That in turn has provoked some vicious mud-slinging. More relevant to the governance of India is both leaders’ relative inexperience. Gandhi, who is standing in two constituencies, has never yet held public office of any kind. Vajpayee, seeking a full five-year term aged 76, is a writer and poet with little in the way of a political track record. Both will need a strong team around them if they win office…