Once the rhetoric of electioneering dies down, the ruling coalition will have to confront a number of security-related problems. The possibility of any one of the Pakistan-based groups initiating another diversionary attack on India remains high. If, as expected, the incoming government is a loose coalition of vested interests, the possibility of major policy reforms and strong determination to deal with the perpetuators is going to be negligible. The principal challenge placed before the new government will thus be to prepare for a dramatic strike. The question is not why, but when and where it will occur.This challenge is compounded by the fact that the state police leadership, unashamed of its politicking, has lost its professional élan and simply sings paeans in praise of the political masters. Even in the heart of the capital, the current Delhi police commissioner brazenly claims to have brought down the crime rate by a staggering 13% in a year without any improvement in policing methods. Such leaders are unlikely to provide the sinews to combat well-entrenched Maoists or professionally train their forces against terrorist threats.
