Congress says S&P doesn't understand Indian politics

Dismissing the Standard and Poor’s report which said there may be a disconnect between UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over running the country, the Congress party today said the statement showed that the ratings agency did not understand governance and politics in India. [caption id=“attachment_341168” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The Congress party denied the gap between party president Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh was affecting governance. AFP[/caption] “If there is a disconnect between PM and Sonia Gandhi then it would have played out earlier,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters today. “S&P may have an opinion but it is not gospel nor is it cast in stone. They’re just another rating agency. The S&P statement betrays lack of understanding of Indian governance and political system,” he said. In its report on India yesterday the ratings agency had said that the reason for the political problem was the nature of leadership in the central government. “The prime minister often appears to have limited ability to influence his cabinet colleagues and proceed with the liberalisation policies he favours (and constantly advocates in his public speeches),” the report said.