RIYADH/JEDDAH/DAMMAM: Indian expatriates across Saudi Arabia yesterday labeled the victory for India’s ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) alliance in the general elections as one for its policy of secularism and economic stability.

“These are trying times with a slowdown in the economy resulting in job losses and poor performance of the manufacturing and farm sectors. The re-election of the UPA is the best thing that has happened to India. It is good that the country has voted against communal forces that constitute the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA),” Mazhar Sultan, an office manager, said in Jeddah.

“The Congress-led coalition, riding on the back of years of economic growth, has done better than expected and so the vote for the UPA is the vote for its secular credentials and economic policies,” said Shahjahan Hussain, a printing technologist.

“The vote for the Congress also signifies the emergence of Rahul Gandhi, the 38-year-old son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and grandson of assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, as a star campaigner and a future prime ministerial material,” said Suman Sekhar, a schoolteacher.

In Riyadh, a cross-section of the community described the UPA victory as the victory of secular parties. They had a word of praise for the way democracy is promoted and practiced in the world’s second largest populated country.

Manzar Khan, who works at Al-Rajhi Bank, said the Manmohan Singh government’s good work has paid dividends in the form of a large number of seats won by the Congress. Khan added that it will be interesting to see how the new government will deliver at a time when it is facing a lot of problems within the country and among its immediate neighbors.

Dr. Kareem Iqbal, a doctor said: “Parties like the BJP should learn a lesson that they can’t play religion and caste cards all the time.”

“The new government should also try to help Sri Lanka in finally ending the war against the LTTE and also help Nepal, which is passing through a state of anarchy,” said Prem Kumar, a salesman, who hails from an eastern Indian state bordering Nepal.

In the Eastern Province, Prashant Sharma, assistant director of sales and marketing at Le Meridien Alkhobar, was delighted at the “spectacular” victory of the Congress. “We have had a long association with the Congress. My grandfather and my father ... they have all been great supporters of the party. Since I come from Delhi, where the Congress has done particularly well, I feel especially proud,” said Sharma.

Javid Yazdani, who teaches computer science at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), said the results were highly unexpected. “Of course, I am very happy at the outcome. The primary reason for this good showing of Congress is its good governance in the last five years. It provided a meaningful government that was alive to the needs of people from all sections of the Indian society,” said Yazdani who comes from Hyderabad.

Suvasis Sarkar, who works at the Structural Steel Engineering Division of Zamil Steel Industries in Dammam, said people voted for stability. He said the results in West Bengal were surprising for the Left Front. “However, I have a feeling the Leftists will bounce back during the assembly elections,” he added.

Pervez Ahmed, who teaches at the International Indian School-Dammam, said he was glued to his television set right after morning prayers yesterday.

“The results came as a pleasant surprise to me,” he said. “No exit poll got it right,” said Ahmed who comes from Siwan in Bihar. He said he was “certainly not surprised by Nitish Kumar’s good showing in Bihar. He initiated many developmental schemes for Muslims. Naturally Muslims were very happy with him.”

— M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan in Riyadh, K.S. Ramkumar in Jeddah and Siraj Wahab in Dammam