For a ruling party to suffer reverses at the state assembly polls in India has not been a novelty in her politics for some years now. Yet, what definitely makes one sit up is the sheer depth of the Congress rout in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In AP Congress (I) has slumped from a 182-seat majority in the assembly to 14 seats and in Karnataka its 178 seat majority has been reduced to 34 seats only.

The Telegu Desham Party, led by the charismatic NTR. climbs on to the driver s seat in Andhra with a 160 seat lead while the Janata Party has secured the majority in Karnataka with 115 seats. In this state, the BJP has emerged from the sideline to capture 40 seats in a 224-member state assembly. The Congress has lost control of Sikkim to a regional party and got a slim edge in Goa.

More than a year ago. the Congress (I) had fared badly at the state assembly polls in northern India where a social coalition of a political force captivating the imagination of low caste peasantry and Muslim voters emerged as a winner. Now comes the Congress debacle in the s'outhern states largely in the hands of regional parties which along with the Janata Dal have captured a good number of Muslim votes. In other words, while in the north elitist politics had received a body-blow, it is the regional parties in the south now which triumph over a strong centre.

The outcome could not have been more hurting to the Congress (I) government in general and Prime Minister Narasimha Rao In particular. The fall back power-base of the party in the south is all but lost while the Congress defeat in Andhra Pradesh. Raos home constituency, must have come as a personal shock to him.

The results of the state assembly elections in India tend to affect the strength of the central government by implications, not in any direct manner. Narasimha Rao has a razor-thin majority in the Lok Sabha so that he is likely to face greater obstacles in and out of the parliament while making new initiatives or taking controversial decisions specially on pressing communal or economic liberalisation issues in the near future.

Inside the Congress caucus, his position and authority may be weakened, if not openly challenged. Already Manmohan Singh who spearheaded the economic liberalisation policies has come under fire for the party's poor ishowing. What looks certain at this point in time is that Congress (I) will try hard to present a new face to the Indian electorate.