双语环球新闻：在印度农民也不好当

　　Temperatures soared in Delhi this week. In politics, the season is changing too. A general election is not due until May 2009. But the prime minister can dissolve parliament when he chooses, and some signs—perhaps including the budget on February 29th—point to an early poll. It could come towards the end of this year.

　　The budget will almost certainly be the last for the Congress-led government of Manmohan Singh, the prime minister. An unstable coalition of a dozen parties, with “outside” support from others, it could easily be denied a vote-winning splurge next year. So it must splurge now. In a speech to mark the reopening of parliament on February 25th President Pratibha Patil hinted as much. She stressed the government's “special attention” to agriculture, which supports 60% of Indians.

　　Peasant farmers, burdened by the rising costs of inputs, meager crop prices and sometimes thoughts of suicide, were expected to receive debt forgiveness. A hike in India's massive and wasteful fertiliser subsidy would add another splash of electoral gravy. But to judge from the separate railways budget, unveiled on February 26th and offering modest fare cuts, the government has not abandoned prudence entirely. This suggests it may not yet have decided when to call the election.