The world's largest democracy once again demonstrated that it is also one of the most mature.
Look at the list: A Lok Sabha election and not one, not two, but six assembly elections. All of them held in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
The NDA government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, called for an early election hoping that with India shining, it could cash in on the feel-good factor and return to power. In a result that surprised everyone, it was voted out. It seemed Bharat did not buy the alliance's hype.
The Congress, with the support of the Left and other parties, decided to form the government, and Sonia Gandhi was the obvious choice as prime minister.
But, in a dramatic turn of events, Gandhi turned down the offer. Congressmen sulked; even suicide threats were held out. But in the end, she prevailed over her party men, and Manmohan Singh became prime minister.
Besides the Lok Sabha, elections were held to the Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Sikkim, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh assemblies. While Congress-led governments assumed power in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the Biju Janata Dal-BJP combine in Orissa and the Sikkim Democratic Front in Sikkim bucked the anti-incumbency factor to retain power.
In Maharashtra , the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party staved off a challenge from the Shiv Sena-BJP, and rode its free-electricity-to-farmers plank to power.
Also see: Election images
Photographs: Ranjan Basu/ Saab Press