New Delhi:
Manmohan Singh has never won an election, yet all set to become Prime Minister for the second time in a row. And as he prepares for another term, it's a mix of factors other than direct mandate that has decided his fate.
In 1991, the 58-year-old Finance Minister had played a pivotal role in liberalising Indian economy. His track record helped the Congress reclaim the agenda of economic reforms in 2004 pulling the carpet from under the NDA's India Shining campaign.
But confronted with widening gaps between the rich and poor Indians the Congress, ruling with the support of the Left then, was forced into a rethink.
The 'Hand' made a return to the aam aadmi. Out of this churning, emerged NREGA or the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the success of which has remained a cornerstone of their Election 2009 campaign despite charges of corruption.
The unprecedented farm loan waivers are yet another shift away from Manmohanomics, which was more in tune with the SEZ mania.
His economic policies have always been a bone of contention with Left allies and the divisions became sharper during Nandigram and Singur.
The final break came over the Indo-US nuclear deal when the Left withdrew support from the government. However, Manmohan Singh's government survived the trust vote in Parliament. And India's going ahead with the deal received a thumbs up from the US.
"Prime Minister Singh literally risked his political future for the Indo-US nuclear agreement and remade his government again with the support he needed," said Condoleezza Rice, the then Secretary of State, US.
Winning the trust vote meant old enemy Samajwadi Party was back in the Congress stable.
As elections drew closer Dr Singh underwent a bypass surgery, but was back to work within weeks.
And then came the moment of assertion when Congress president Sonia Gandhi released the party's manifesto for the elections, which featured Manmohan Singh on the cover. Sonia proudly projected Dr Singh as the party's prime ministerial candidate. The loaded gesture silenced detractors within the party.
Emboldened for the first time Dr Singh took on Advani's personal insults.
When the senior BJP leader alleged that he has not seen a weaker PM than Manmohan Singh, Dr Singh gave a fitting reply by saying, "Advani was Home Minister when Parliament was attacked. Advani was the Home Minister who presided over the massacre in Gujarat. Not I, it's Advani who is weak."
Thus, in the boxing ring of election 2009, it's a clean knockout -- Singh is surely the King!