[War] India: Monsoon Sessions

[Daniel Garcia]

"India:  Monsoon Sessions"
President Ashwin Kanchwala, Republic of India
July 26, 2006

Ashwin sat, waiting for the time for his address to the nation over  
the recent elections, which had swayed things far in favor of the his  
party, the BJP.  Before his Presidency, he hadn't been that important  
of a member, just a respected and accomplished one, just the kind who  
could be made President.  With his Presidency, his currency in the  
party had grown, particularly under the brief Pandit caretaker  
government, which had seen the power of the Presidency expand  
greatly.  And with this expansion of the power in his hands, his  
power in the BJP grew.  By now, it could be argued he was the most  
important person in the party, and the most powerful.  Of course, so  
much of the new relationships that had developed between the various  
players in the wake of the shift in power from the Prime Minister to  
the President were still in flux, meaning that there was much that  
was still unclear.

In any case, he was about to go before the nation to convoke the new  
Parliament, to announce his choice of a government.  He would keep  
Samir as his Prime Minister.  The two worked well together, and were  
old friends.  Of course, this meant that he would be doing much to  
cement the power of the President over the Prime Minister as Samir  
was always inclined to defer to him, at least when it came to policy.

There had been other decisions, a whole Council of Ministers which  
needed to be filled.  The BJP had been consulted, but the final  
choices had been his.  Some choices hadn't made them very happy.  His  
choice of a Muslim Home Minister was the one that had been the  
hardest for the Hindu nationalist BJP to swallow.  Ashwin had argued  
that with over 140 million Muslims in India, some 13% of the  
population and the third largest population of Muslims in any  
country, that it was important to ensure that they are well  
represented and not discriminated against.  If India didn't do this,  
then events like July 11 could become far more frequent.  Besides,  
there would be at least one Hindu Minister of State in the Ministry  
of Home Affairs.  The BJP, owing a significant part of their victory  
in the just past elections to Ashwin, had acquiesced.  However, after  
all was said and done, Ashwin felt that most people in the BJP were  
happy with the result.

It was here that an aide tapped him on the shoulder.  It was show  
time, so Ashwin got up, and walked into the media room to a chorus of  
cameras doing their work.  Ashwin stepped up to the podium.

"My fellow Indian citizens," Ashwin began.

"It is my pleasure to announce that I will be convoking the Sansad  
tomorrow to begin its Monsoon Session, and will shortly thereafter  
address the Sansad on the occasion of its convocation.  Then, it is  
my presumption and hope that after the heavy political turmoil of the  
past months, with which I am sure you are all familiar, your  
government can settle down to more routine, yet vitally important,  
affairs.

"I would also like to announce that I intend to keep caretaker Prime  
Minister Samir Eswara on for a full term as Prime Minister.  He has a  
long history of public service, and I have found his service in his  
brief time as caretaker Prime Minister to be exemplary, and a good  
recommendation in and of itself for keeping him on.  Also, Prime  
Minister Eswara will, later today, announce the new Council of  
Ministers.

"Finally, and after much consideration, I have decided to nominate  
economist Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia for the nominated seat in the  
Rajya Sabha that was vacated when I acceded to the office of  
President.  He is a well respected and widely experienced economist  
and I expect that his expertise will greatly aid the course of debate  
in our uppoer house of Parliament on matters of finance and economy.

"Thank you, I'll take questions now."


ACTIONS:

1)  Convoke the new Lok Sabha for a slightly late start to its  
Monsoon Session (OOC:  In RL is started Monday, and runs through the  
end of August, if you're curious).

2)  Propose that Samir Eswara be made permanent Prime Minister to the  
BJP and Lok Sabha.

3)  Propose a Council of Ministers, to be filled in at a later date  
(OOC:  It's a big cabinet, so sue me).

4)  Nominate economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia to fill Ashwin's old  
Rajya Sabha seat (OOC:  Some seats in the upper house are filled by  
Presidential appointees, who are supposed to be experts on a variety  
of subjects.  Ashwin held one of those seats.)