The Buddhists have long been the unknown factor in South Viet Nam's volatile political chemistry, especially since 1966, when they began to boycott the nation's politics. Last week they returned to political lifeĀ"to play the democracy game" as one Saigon journalist put it. They came as winners as the Buddhist slate of ten candidates emerged with the largest number of votes in last weekend's nationwide Senate elections.
The Buddhist '"Lotus Blossom" candidates, who were tacitly backed by Thich Tri Quang's antigovernment An Quang Pagoda faction, narrowly edged out the progovernment "Sun" slate.
Although the voting swung more on ethnic and regional loyalties...
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