Mandate comes with rising expectations: PM

The huge mandate to the Congress came with the challenge of “rising expectations” and people, especially the youth, would not tolerate a “business as usual” attitude, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.

The huge mandate to the Congress came with the challenge of “rising expectations” and people, especially the youth, would not tolerate a “business as usual” attitude, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday.

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Addressing his party's newly elected MPs, the prime minister said: "The youth of India have voted in large numbers for our party. But it is in the nature of youth to be impatient. They will not tolerate 'business as usual' (attitude)."

Manmohan Singh, who was elected the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party here, stressed the need for better governance and said the youth expect the government to work with renewed energy.

"They expect the government to cater to their aspirations. They expect a more responsive government.”

Indicating that there was no room for complacency, Manmohan Singh said: “The people of India have given us an impressive mandate. They have rubbbished the fashionable theory of anti-incumbency.

"But we have to work harder and better to secure a wholesome mandate entirely in our favour. That is the challenge before our party and our government.”

“We have to make government more efficient and effective, more responsive and active,” he added.