Coalition Politics in India: Problems and ProspectsMahendra Prasad Singh, Anil Mishra With the replacement of the dominant party system in India, minority and/or coalition governments in New Delhi have become the order of the day. Except for the Congress minority government of P.V. Narasimha Rao and National Democratic Alliance government of Atal Behari Vajpayee, all such governments since 1989 have been unstable. Yet instability apart, coalition governments have been effective in enhancing democratic legitimacy, representativeness and national unity. Major policy shifts like neo-liberal economic reforms, federal decentring, and grass roots decentralization, in theory or practice, are largely attributable to the onset of federal coalitional governance. Coalition governments in states and at the centre have also facilitated gradual transition of the Marxist-Left and the Hindu-Right into the political establishment, and thus contributed to the integration of the party system as well as the nation. The same major national parties which initially rejected the idea of coalition politics have today accepted it and are maturing into skilled and virtuoso performers at the game. In a rather short span of over a decade, India has witnessed coalition governments of three major muted hues: (a) middle-of-the-road Centrist Congress minority government of P.V. Narasimha Rao, going against its Left of Centre reputation, initiated neo-liberal economic reforms in 1991; (b) three Left-of-Centre governments formed by the Janata Dal-led National/United Front; and (c) two Right-of-Centre coalition governments formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Aliance under Atal Behari Vajpayee, a votary of secular version of Hindu nationalism. In the wake of the decline of Congress dominance, the fragmentation of the national party system and the emergence of party systems at the regional level have turned India into a chequered federal chessboard. The past and likely future patterns of coalition governments in New Delhi are suggestive of at least three models of power sharing: (a) coalition of more or less equal partners, e.g. the National Front and the United Front, (b) coalition of relatively smaller parties led by a major party, e.g. National Democratic Alliance; and (c) coalition of relatively smaller parties facilitated but not necessarily led by a prime minister from the major parties formed in 2004 around the Indian National Congress, avowing secular Indian nationalism. The fifteen papers in this book analyse the various dimensions of coalition government at the Centre and in some of the states of the Indian federation against the background of a theoretical framework that seeks to integrate coalitions among parties, castes and communities and tribes, as well as classes at electoral, parliamentary, and cabinet levels. The fifteen papers in this book analyse the various dimensions of coalition government at the Centre and in some of the states of the Indian federation against the background of a theoretical framework that seeks to integrate coalitions among parties, castes and communities and tribes, as well as classes at electoral, parliamentary, and cabinet levels. |
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Page 52
... Samata Party received 14.4 per cent of the vote and 6 seats in Bihar , 8 seats nationally . In May 1997 , JD's major state unit in Bihar split again under the leadership of the former Chief Minister , Laloo Prasad Yadav , and formed the ...
... Samata Party received 14.4 per cent of the vote and 6 seats in Bihar , 8 seats nationally . In May 1997 , JD's major state unit in Bihar split again under the leadership of the former Chief Minister , Laloo Prasad Yadav , and formed the ...
Page 53
... Samata Party component of the JD ( U ) decided not to effect the merger . The JD ( U ) reverted to two of its original constituents , the Samata Party with eleven MPs , and the JD ( U ) with ten MPs ( including the original Lok Shakti ...
... Samata Party component of the JD ( U ) decided not to effect the merger . The JD ( U ) reverted to two of its original constituents , the Samata Party with eleven MPs , and the JD ( U ) with ten MPs ( including the original Lok Shakti ...
Page 278
... Samata Party together with the JD ( U ) contested merely twenty - three seats . But consider the seat adjustment exercise among the NDA partners during the Assembly elections . While only 150 seats went to the BJP out of 354 , Samata ...
... Samata Party together with the JD ( U ) contested merely twenty - three seats . But consider the seat adjustment exercise among the NDA partners during the Assembly elections . While only 150 seats went to the BJP out of 354 , Samata ...
Contents
Foreword | 7 |
in India | 21 |
COALITION GOVERNMENTS AT UNION | 35 |
Copyright | |
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Coalition Politics in India: Problems and Prospects Mahendra Prasad Singh,Anil Mishra No preview available - 2004 |
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alliance allies Assembly Assembly elections base become Bihar candidates caste cent cent votes central centre Charan Singh Chief Minister coalition governments coalition politics Commission committee communal Congress consensus Constitution contested continued CPI(M cultural decision Delhi democracy democratic dominant economic effective elections electoral emerged experience fact faction factor federal forces foreign policy formation formed Front Gandhi groups ideological important Independence India institutions interest issues Janata Party leaders leadership leading Left Lok Sabha majority minority opposition parliamentary party system phase political parties poll position Pradesh present President presidential presidential system Prime Minister reforms regional regional parties relations remained represented result role rule seats secured share single social Socialist society split stable structure TABLE Tamil Nadu United University votes West Bengal winning