Internal migration and political change in India

The research for this study was carried out in the course of a three-year scholarship in the Department of Political Science, Research School of Social Sciences, the Australian National University, Canberra, between 1968 and 1971.

The first six months of research for this study was spent in general reading, formulating the model, preparing the ques tionnaire and the inventory of data to be collected, and selec ting cities for field survey in India. From April 1969 to November 1969 an extensive field trip was made to Delhi, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar to collect polling-booth maps and election statistics, and to carry out a field survey.

The survey was conducted in Bhilainagar (referred to in the text as Bhilai) and Raipur, Madhya Pradesh. Survey work in both Bhilai and Raipur was a rewarding experience. The author himself interviewed more than three hundred electors and dozens of leaders of political parties and voluntary associations. The aggregate data and survey material were coded by the author and the data were analysed on the IBM 360/50 computer at the Computer Centre, Australian National University. The author owes a special debt to his brother Gutta Vidyasagar for the personal assistance and encouragement he gave in initiating the author to a research career.