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Time of coalitions : divided we stand

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: New Delhi; Sage; 2004Description: 413ISBN:
  • 9780761932376
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 324.254 THA
Summary: This topical and absorbing book, written by two eminent journalists, convincingly argues against two commonly held beliefs concerning Indian politics. Their basic premise is that India has come a long way from the time when a single party, the Congress, dominated our polity. Instead, rt has given way to multi-party configurations or coalitions which, they demonstrate, are neither temporary nor an aberration- coalitions are here to stay, they say, at least in the foreseeable future. Second, they expertly dismiss the view that India's polity is essentially bipolar, led by either of the two largest parties-the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party-and that other political parties have no option but to choose which of these two they will align themselves with. Skilfully piecing together the complex jigsaw of Indian politics, the authors point out that the moment we examine what is happening at the state level, it is clear that Indian politics is becoming more fragmented with the rise of caste- based and regional parties. Their conclusion is unique: Coalitions are not a negative feature of India's polity but, instead, have had a positive influence on the working of the country's democratic structures. The authors take the view that coalrtion governments are in fact better equipped to deal with the tensions of a divided society while single-party governments tend to both centralise and homogenise. Among the numerous issues and trends cogently discussed are: • the rise of the BJP from the time it was virtually wiped out of Parliament in 1984, and it's current faction- ridden character • the dramatic decline of the Congress, especially the fact that the minorities and oppressed groups, once its largest constrtuency, are now deserting rt in large numbers • the continuing fragmentation of the Indian polity and the rise of regional parties which are not necessarily narrow and partisan, but capable of looking at issues from a wider perspective • the changing tactics of the left and their internal differences
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This topical and absorbing book, written by two eminent journalists, convincingly argues against two commonly held
beliefs concerning Indian politics. Their basic premise is that India has come a long way from the time when a single party,
the Congress, dominated our polity. Instead, rt has given way to multi-party configurations or coalitions which, they
demonstrate, are neither temporary nor an aberration- coalitions are here to stay, they say, at least in the foreseeable
future. Second, they expertly dismiss the view that India's polity is essentially bipolar, led by either of the two largest
parties-the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress party-and that other political parties have no option but to
choose which of these two they will align themselves with.
Skilfully piecing together the complex jigsaw of Indian politics, the authors point out that the moment we examine what is happening at the state level, it is clear that Indian politics is becoming more fragmented with the rise of caste- based and regional parties. Their conclusion is unique: Coalitions are not a negative feature of India's polity but, instead, have had a positive influence on the working of the country's democratic structures. The authors take the view that coalrtion governments are in fact better equipped to deal with the tensions of a divided society while single-party governments tend to both centralise and homogenise. Among the numerous issues and trends cogently discussed are:
• the rise of the BJP from the time it was virtually wiped out of Parliament in 1984, and it's current faction- ridden character
• the dramatic decline of the Congress, especially the fact that the minorities and oppressed groups, once its largest
constrtuency, are now deserting rt in large numbers
• the continuing fragmentation of the Indian polity and the rise of regional parties which are not necessarily narrow
and partisan, but capable of looking at issues from a wider perspective
• the changing tactics of the left and their internal differences

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