The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government has completed 100 turbulent days in power during which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his low-key style, has tried to grapple with many problems.

'Tainted' ministers, droughts, floods, insurgency, inflation, truckers' strike, water disputes, hostage crisis, topped by a row over a meeting with Opposition leaders… Singh has moved from one trouble to another.

Last week he gave vent to his feelings at a function. "We are living in abnormal times. Never in the history of any government, the first 100 days have been characterised by the daily turmoil that we witness in Parliament," he said.

In fact, there was considerable acrimony right from the day the Cabinet was formed.

Swearing in of Rashtriya Janata Dal ministers, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, who got the prized railways portfolio, gave the Bharatiya Janata Party-led opposition an issue on a platter.

Singh could not even introduce his Council of Ministers and there was no debate on the President's address -- something unprecedented in parliamentary history.

Ever since the swearing in of the Cabinet, the issue of 'tainted ministers' has proved to be its Achilles heel.

Matters came to a head when arrest warrants were issued against Union minister Shibu Soren, who after causing much embarrassment to the government was asked to quit his coal and mines portfolio.

Singh also faced trouble from his own allies in the Left Front over economic issues.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram bore the brunt of the Left Front ire on the issues of foreign direct investment, cutting of interest rates on employee provident fund and the truckers' strike.

But the PM pulled on.

The moment first signs of drought appeared on the horizon, Singh was on his feet asking his colleagues and bureaucrats to work out a contingency plan. A task force on floods was created as well and steps taken to ease credit flow to farmers. Mercifully monsoon revived.

Another front on which the government faced troubles was Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's action of getting a bill passed by the state assembly abrogating all water sharing agreements with other states.

Likewise, Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh partially repealed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state, a move that apparently did not have the Centre's consent.

The Congress' ally in Andhra Pradesh, Telengana Rashtra Samithi put the Centre on notice over the creation of a separate Telangana state.

Speculation over political equations were rife after Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh showed a proactive approach in weeding out Sangh Parivar elements from the government, a move over which he has the Left's support.

The PM did refer to the issues of Punjab waters and the saffronisation of education. In his Independence Day speech, he said, "We cannot make higher education a prisoner of either bureaucracy or ideology. It must develop on the foundations of professional excellence and intellectual integrity."

"We cannot allow these waters to divide us. I urge you and all our political leaders to take a national and a holistic view of the challenge of managing our water resources," he added.

He steered clear of announcing grandiose schemes. "I have no promises to make but promises to keep."

He intends to keep these promises by focusing on the common man, rural development and agriculture.

Singh puts in 12-15 hours a day, holds lengthy meetings and seeks details in the spirit of a micro-economist.

So concerned was Singh with rising inflation that a Cabinet Committee on Prices was formed and finance ministry agreed to forego around Rs 2,500 crore in taxes by slashing tariffs on petroleum products.