Singh congratulates Obama, says ‘historic opportunity’

Complimenting US President Barack Obama for his "qualities of head and heart", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said that the mandate gives a historic opportunity to the re-elected President to work not just for the US, "but indeed for the world at large".

Expressing his "warmest congratulations" in a letter to Obama, Singh wrote, "The renewed confidence that the people of your great country have reposed in you is as much a tribute to your qualities of head and heart as it is an indication of the faith that the American people have in your leadership." "Your mandate gives you a historic opportunity to continue to work for the welfare of the American people," he said.

Singh said that over the last four years, "consistent with our vision of a global strategic partnership between India and the US, the ties between our two democracies have seen sustained growth." "I have no doubt that there is much more we can do together to further strengthen the India-US partnership," he said. He ended the letter on a personal note: "My wife joins me in wishing you and Mrs. Obama, as well as Malia and Sasha, good health, success and happiness as you prepare for a new term in office."

While the PM's letter was released within hours of Obama's acceptance speech, the Ministry of External Affairs reacted even before his speech. MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said, "The Government and people of India send their congratulations to President Obama on his winning a second mandate." President Pranab Mukherjee and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar also sent messages of congratulations.

ALSO READ

Raman's run through Bastar, 'the road to government'

On mother's day, she waits for son jailed for 17 yrs

Ten killed in Aizawl landslide, 7 trapped

Maharashtra does away with finger test on rape victims