My old friend Manmohan Singh has just suffered a devastating and very public defeat. Is it time for him to step down as India's prime minister and take a well-earned retirement after more than 40 years of top-level public service?
Is it time for Singh and Sonia Gandhi's Congress Party coalition government to call elections in the hope that a new younger wave of politicians may emerge with fresh ideas to drag the ancient civilization of India to meet its 21st-century potential?
These suggestions are prompted by the recent extraordinary political events, which saw Singh promise that India's massive retail market, worth close to $500 billion and expected to double to $1 trillion in the next five years, would be open to 100 percent foreign direct investment.