VOA标准英语 Southern Swing State Could Hold Key to Indian Electi

Voting begins Thursday in India's five-phase national election. The world's largest exercise in democracy, with 714 million eligible¹ voters, is conducted over a month-long period. A key swing state is Andhra Pradesh, in the south, which has several regional parties.

The ballots² cast in Andhra Pradesh state could be among the most critical nationwide. India's incumbent³ federal coalition⁴ government, led by the Congress Party, owes its existence to its performance here five years ago.

Illicit⁵ flow of cash, liquor on the increase as candidates try to win hearts of voters

In addition to caravans⁷ loaded with enthusiastic partisans⁸, elections in Andhra Pradesh traditionally see political parties dispensing⁹ liberal amounts of cash and liquor prior to election day.
　
Police on a Hyderabad road conducting spot search for illicit campaign money and liquor, 15 Apr 2009

During this campaign season, authorities are trying to stem the illicit flow. Police are seizing piles of currency discovered during searches of vehicles on Hyderabad's roads.

The former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation¹⁰, K. Vijaya Rama Rao, a candidate of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is skeptical¹¹ the traditional flow of cash and alcohol has evaporated.

"There is still a large chunk¹² of unseen expenditures¹³ which most candidates seem to indulge in," said Rao.

Analysts¹⁴, such as retired¹⁵ University of Vermont political science professor Carolyn Elliott, say such handouts¹⁶ maintain loyalty¹⁷, rather than effectively gaining political converts.

"What everybody says about this liquor and money business is that they give it out to everybody and so it does not really matter," she said. "So then you ask, 'Well then why do they bother to do it?' And the politicians say, 'Well if the other does it and I do not, then I will certainly lose.'"

While some parties reward potential voters before casting ballots, others promise post-election personal windfalls.

An opposition¹⁸ group says it will give cash transfers of up to $50 to the poorest families, if it comes to power. It also promises them Chinese-made color television sets, worth about $100. TDP candidate UA News the TV's would educate and inform the masses in a state where nearly half cannot read and write.

"It is to empower the poorer sections with information," he said. "And we have introduced this, and this is really going to revolutionize the normal living of the people who are at the lowest rung."
　
Congress Party caravan⁶ in Andhra Pradesh, 14 Apr 2009

Upper House Member of Parliament K.B. Krishnamurthy, a top official of the Congress Party, tells VOA the populist pitch of cash and merchandise is a desperate move by politicians who failed to perform in their previous tenure¹⁹ in power.

"Now they are all of a sudden they are enlightened, and they want to come and give relief to people and promise people that rivers of milk and sugar are going to flow," he said.

Congress Party wants to repeat success in Andra Prades

Congress is trying to win re-election in Andhra Pradesh, with a population of 76 million people, and stay in power at the federal level. Its biggest threat is the four-party alliance led by the TDP. Challenging both is a wildly popular Telugu language movie idol²⁰, known as Chiranjeevi, who has formed his own party, Praja Rajyam or People's Rule Party.

The three-way power struggle, with a notable lack of difference on major issues, is being closely watched in the capital, former top national lawman K. Vijaya Rama Rao of the TDP tells VOA News.

"Whichever way the result goes here is quite vital in the formation of the government at the national level," said Rao.

The Congress Party, which led India to independence, dominated the national political stage for decades.

Expert says no single party will have power
　
Prof. Emeritus²¹ Carolyn Elliott, University of Vermont, 15 Apr 2009

Carolyn Elliott, who has been following Andhra Pradesh politics for nearly 50 years, says neither the Congress Party nor any single challenger will be able to retain or regain²² power without outside help.

"The trend in Indian politics, which many have commented on, is that these regional parties are getting to be much more powerful and are really very influential²³ in what will happen in Delhi," she said.

In Andhra Pradesh, as politician Krishnamurthy explains, his party, Congress, finds itself in the unenviable position of going to the polls without such support.

"For political reasons our companions, who walked with us to the polls in the last election, are not with us," he said. "And we are confident that we can go it alone."

The TDP's Venkateswarlu attributes the rise of the smaller parties to disillusionment with Congress.

"And since Congress Party has failed in different states, the local, regional parties have come out," he said. "Their intention is they know much better about the problems of their own state, their own region. And all these parties they come together in a federal structure at the national level."
　
BJP supporters campaigning in Hyderabad, 15 Apr 2009

That has led many pundits²⁴ to predict the real contest in India begins only after the votes are counted May 16. Then smaller parties in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere will use the results to extract maximum political gain and possibly decide who governs the world's largest democracy for years to come.

"For political reasons our companions, who walked with us to the polls in the last election, are not with us," said Krishnamurthy. "And we are confident that we can go it alone."

The TDP's Venkateswarlu attributes the rise of the smaller parties to disillusionment with Congress.

"And since Congress Party has failed in different states, the local, regional parties have come out," he said. "Their intention is they know much better about the problems of their own state, their own region. And all these parties they come together in a federal structure at the national level."

That has led many pundits to predict the real contest in India begins only after the votes are counted May 16. Then smaller parties in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere will use the results to extract maximum political gain and possibly decide who governs the world's largest democracy for years to come.

1 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

6 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

7 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

8 partisans   

游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙

参考例句：

• Every movement has its partisans. 每一运动都有热情的支持者。
• He was rescued by some Italian partisans. 他被几名意大利游击队员所救。

9 dispensing   

v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药）

参考例句：

• A dispensing optician supplies glasses, but doesn't test your eyes. 配镜师为你提供眼镜，但不检查眼睛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The firm has been dispensing ointments. 本公司配制药膏。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

12 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

13 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

15 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

16 handouts   

救济品( handout的名词复数 )； 施舍物； 印刷品； 讲义

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts. 士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Even after losing his job, he was too proud to accept handouts. 甚至在失去工作后，他仍然很骄傲，不愿接受施舍。

17 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

18 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

19 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

20 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

21 emeritus   

adj.名誉退休的

参考例句：

• "Perhaps I can introduce Mr.Lake Kirby,an emeritus professor from Washington University?"请允许我介绍华盛顿大学名誉教授莱克柯尔比先生。
• He will continue as chairman emeritus.他将会继续担任荣誉主席。

22 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

23 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

24 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网