The Indian voter has given a strong mandate to the BJP or rather Narendra Modi, who has quite possibly surpassed caste and communal barriers across the electorate. Political pundits have completely failed to assess the groundswell of support. With an absolute majority, BJP will not have any excuse for non-performance. Development is the agenda for the next 5 years, but we hope that the cabinet works within a framework of solving the most basic issues India is grappling with. Let us evaluate the State of the Nation the outgoing PM Manmohan Singh has left behind for Narendra Modi to build upon.

1. Even today 597 million defecate in t he open. Nearly h alf the country does not have the dignity of toilets.

2. Nearly 400 million live in the dark without the privilege of electricity.

3. Over 80 million children dropout of school to support their family.

4. India faces 3.8% employment, with informal employment accounting for 94% of the workforce.

5. Inflation averaged 10% over the last five years, putting basic needs out of reach.

6. 4,700 daily deaths of children under the age of five, most preventable.

7. India is home to a quarter of the world’s hungry. Government passed legislation to provide relief, yet, 40% of food subsidies are siphoned off.

8. 380 daily road fatalities due to poor roads and traffic enforcement.

After seeing the stats, would you believe that two stable terms of UPA were a success? Will history judge Manmohan Singh favorably?