Factors Responsible for Nature of PP

Introduction
• Paul Brass – indian Party system is a blend of western, modern forms of
bureaucratic organization and political participation with indigenous traditional
institutions and practices

Factors
• Heritage of National Movement – Rashishudin Khan = during freedom
struggle, there was concensus on three essential issues National Unity and
Political Integration, National defence and Security, it is still relevent in
current Party system
• Ideology –due to Legacy of INM , tolerence and accomodation towards Left,
Centre, Right
• LPG – decline of extremist ideological PP
• Socio -Cultural Diversity – Identity based PP
• One-Party centralism –
1. YY – BJP after 2014 – System defining party
2. Suhas Palshikar – (Toward Hegemony:: BJP Beyond Electoral Dominance in
Majoritarian State)
3. BJPs Twin emphasis on - Hindu Nationalism and New Developmentalism
• Charismatic Leadership – Leader centric Parties

Nature of Indian Party System

• ideological
• regional
• Dynastic
• Personality centric
• Identity Based
• Issue Based

Increase in Political Participation and its effects on Nature on Indian Party

System
• LPG – awareness among voters, diversification of Issues
• democratic transition – social media communication, Large Youth appeal
• New Developmentalism
History of Party System In India

• One Party Dominance - Congress Era

• Coalition Politics
• emergence of second dominant party system (Suhas Palshikar)
1. BJP victory in 2014, 2019
2. Bjps Expansion across states,
3. Strategic Coalition in regional politics
• BJPs Rainbow Social Coalition across gender, Castes, Urban-rural sections,
religions (except Muslims), emphasis on Hindutva, New India Narrative,
Nationalism, new Developmentalism
• Decline Of Congress -
1. Auhtoritarian leadership style by Indira Gandhi
2. Marginalisation of powerfull Mass leaders at State Level and erosion of Party
at grassroot
3. Mandalisation of Politics and Lost of OBC vote bank
4. Emergence of regional PP
5. hindu vote bank consolidation in favour of BJP
6. erosion of adivasi support
• Lack of Strong Coalition of opposition Parties
1. Ideological differencec – eg Maha Vikas Aghadi
2. ambitions of each PP
3. ambitious leaders within PP
• Setback to regional Parties
1. New India Narrative
2. Cenrtralisation of Politics
3. one party at centre and state – weakening federal identity
• Stagnation of caste based PP – Nancy Frazer eg SP BSP SS

Regional Political Parties

Who are Regional parties?

• Recognised as state party by Election Commission of India
• Sudha Pai Parties that are restricted to a particular state and rooted in both
regional aspirations and grievances
• K K Kailsah - two types – Regionally Located Party and Regionalist Party

Role of regional Party

• Strenghtening indias Federal Structure
• To give Democratic voice to regional issues
• Circulation of elites- representation to marginalised
• Protect against Hegemony of nationalist for homogenization –
Regionalisation or De-nationalisaion.
• Vibrant Multi Party system - a vital sign of a healthy democracy
Limitation on regional Parties
• Dynastic Politics or Domination by Personalities –
1. but Personalities rather than ideologies hold many regional parties together
2. Ideological apathy often leads to disillusionment among masses
• Regional Parties in coalition with Centre Parties generally strengthen
patronage politics
• Milan Vaishan – proliferation of regional parties cannabalise non national
party vote share
• Regional Parties fails to offer different economic model other than
Neo_Liberal , since Neo-Liberalism is somehow responsible for regional
developmental disparity
• Sacha Kapoor & Arvind Magesan – Regional Party when in powers gives
rise to violence
data –
1. 9.9% rise of Violent event and 13% rise in deaths when Regional Party in
Power
2. 7.2% rise in violence in constituency if Candidate from regional party wins

Increaing defection as challenge before Indian Party System

• Serious Threat to stability of government

• degeneration of politics which lacks value and ideological commitment
Gopal Guru - such practises may be supported by institutional
procedure ,politics tend lose moral essence
• Political nomadism – undermines democratic verdicts and creates distrust
among electorate
• Judicial Intervention to retain Political Party – has eroded legitimacy of the
political class and distarbed delicate balance of Power
• Horse Trading – Lack of morality
• Structural Problems within India’s Party system

Conclusion
• Chaksu Roy – Anit defection should not be seen from its Legalistic approach
since Political Issues require Political solutions
• Instead of Constitutionalisation of Party Unity (10th sch) there should be push
for reforms within India’s Party System
• Voter apathy needs to be addresed
Dynastic Politics in India

Kanchan Chandra in work Democratic Dynasties analysed dynastic Politics in

India
• they act as Uniting Force for parties, which binds internal factions
• Semi Feudal Mindset of Indian People in rural india ensures peoples
allegience to PP
• Freedom Movement and Legacy of Leaders – Nehru-Gandhi
• Charisma of Leader rather than Ideology – Jay Lalita, Bal Thackrey
• it may have positive impact – channel for representation for Women,
Muslims,, backward class, Youth
• Dynasticism acts as Platform to subaltern groups for representation for those
who do not have qouta (Muslims, Women) unlike those who have (SC, ST)

Dynastic Politics as Liability for PP and democracy

Kanchan Chandra – Dynasties leads to violation of certain democratic ideals

• it amplifies the dominance of Forward Castes in representative Institutions
(43% in 2014)
• Dynasties can be exclusionary – Upper castes (53%) representation in overall
dynastic come from mere 34 castes
• it go against principle of republican democracy as it promotes monarchical
succession
• chokes the entry of able, enthusiasctic political leaders from outside dynastic to
inside power circle
• erodes inner party democracy

Implication of shrinking opposition for Indian Democracy

• Suhas Palshikar “Shifting of the Middle Ground” - BJPs Hindu

Nationalism propelled Secular -communal Polarization which shrinked
“Idea of India” (Democracy, Diversity, Inclusive development)
• threat of majoritiarianism (YY-Non Theocratic Majoritarianism) – imagination
of majoritarian community as homogeneous, unfied single identity
• YY - Electoral Authoriatarianism
• Democratic Rights gets eroded including monority rights due to constant attack
on ideology due to massive electoral victories
• space for dissent is decreasing
• Prabhat Patnaik – Federated fascism Hegemonic centralization

Conclusion
Ambedkar - Legitimate space for opposition strenghthens the democracy
Changing Socio-Economic Profile of Legislature
1. Economic Status – ADR (Association of Democratic reforms) – 430/521 Mps
in LS have assets worth more than 1 crore = Role of Money Power in election
2. Family Backround – Dynastic Politics – 30% MP 2019 belong to political
family
3. Minority Representation – 2011 census 14% Muslims in india but only 5%
respresentation in 17th LS
4. Criminal Anticedents – Milan Vaishnav book When Crime Pays. Nearly
half of MPs have criminal cases against them, 29% cases against them are
having criminal cases
5. Gender Gap – only 14% in 17th LS
6. Nomination – deviating trend can be observed in nomination since real
purpose to bring expertise in representation remains a distant dream.(SRT 5%
attendence, Rekha 6% ), 9/12 joined BJP within 6 months
7. But – 75% of MPs are graduate

Conclusion
• in democracy people get government they deserve. The troubling socio-
economic profile of our legislature is therefore a reflectio on the state of indian
society and its public culture, which is still a long way from becoming just,
equal and turely democratic

Patterns Of Coalition Politics

C Jeffrelot – coalition governments generate more inclusive policies, parliamentary

debates, robust policy formulation

issues with single party domination

• Lack of negotiation – Suhas Palshikar- Coalition govt are at least plural in
views
• Passage of Hasty legislations without rigorous debate – Shruti Rajgopalan –
coaition govt prevent badly crafted ideas rammed down by s strong executive
• ineffectiveness in checking personalisation of power – Kailash K K –
Succesful coalition lies in ability to play middle game – common minimum
program
• Mis-use of anti defection laws – single party wins every vote on motion
• use of ordinances to circumvent parliament -
• Partisan use of Speakers post – PRS legislative Research – only 2% Qs
answers orraly in RS and 13% in LS
• Lack of avenues for opposition to pressurize Executive
Trends in Electoral behaviour

defination – Plano and Riggs

factors influencing electoral behaviour

• Charisma
• Caste-
• Religion
• Money Factor
• Sub-Nationalism
• Public Goodwill
• Fullfilment of basic needs
• Anti-incumbency – Rochester Model
• Freebies/Primises of development
• Social Media : CSDS survey data

Role of electoral process in upliftment of women in india

Two Levels
1. role of PP awa media
2. women participation – voter awa representation

• Broader Electoral Process

1. Role of PP
They bring historically disadvantaged group into mainstream politics
They Bring out issues involving women as stakeholder
when in power they bring policies targeting women
2. Role of Media
they bring women related issues to public
they Qs PP regarding issues and their role

• Women’s participation in electoral process

1. Women as representative
a) Electoral process plays as equilizer if women participates
b) sucess of women candidate in election – acceptance in society
c) reservation – inclusion of women
d) women at PRI gives priority to women related issues

• 2 women as voter
1. women voter turnout is more than men
Effectiveness of provision of NOTA

NOTA – choise of negative voting

• effectiveness
1. Bhikhu Parek – it promotes peaceful protests described as one of the four
components of democracy.
2. K K venugopal – NOTA would lead to cleaner politics in future, it helps to
built democratic pressures on PP
• Criticism
1. Vachana and Roy – it has not let to higher voter turnout
2. diverse use of NOTA can be possibility hence cannot restrict to only as dissent
3. not effective in motivating apathetic voters, nor in disscouraging criminal
candidates
4. ADR, NEW National Election Watch – NOTA is not effective untill it would be
used as right to reject rather than being symbolic

Conclusion
• in case NOTA option gets equal or more votes than candidates, the election
should be held again with new candidate, these will ensure PP to put deserving
candidates

Social Media as a factor influencing voting behaviour

Introduction
• India 2nd largest Internet using country. More than 500 Million users

Impact
• Social Media - Political awareness, help to set Political agenda for election
for PP
• SM platform to micro manage and mobilize supporters
• help PP to capture large number of audience, on a flip side – voters to be
captured by limited number of actors with funds
• Voter turnout from Urban educated class has been increased due to SM

Criticized
• Fake News , Mis-Interpretation – Skewd Public reasoning
• Command Polity – de-institutionalization of democratic structure due to mis-
information
• insecurity rised for marginalized section of society