The interplay of regional parties in Indian politics
Diversity is best hallmark adjective to define Indian union. Regional parties can be best example of the same. To have plurality in working of polity is good but not to the extent that this plurality tears the inclusive character of society.
POLITICAL PARTIES are link between society and people in democracy. They have been the harbingers of national struggle, oxygen for exchange of ideas, platform to put forward issues in democracy. A national party has appeal across the nation whereas as, opposed to it, a regional party has a limited appeal catering to a particular or narrow issue confined within geographical boundary of nation.
Where the problem of regional political party rises is the inherent fear attached with their notion that they promote particular versus the general, thereby, breeding ‘us versus them’ unhealthy spirit in the national character. However, one can’t let pass the idea that the peculiarity of these scattered units across regions rises when they found the national parties though being all inclusive yet in this broadened agenda, their issues were amalgamated to the point of neglect.
In this context, we have this book: ‘Emergence of Regional Parties in India-
In this context, we have this book: ‘Emergence of Regional Parties in India-
Implications for National Parties, Policies and the Democratic Systems’ which begins by debating Nehruvian era of one party system where centralisation in political domain was seen as a safeguard to strengthen nationalistic ethos in the newly independent state. However, the authors put this in contrast to the present time where the Congress Party accepts that regional parties are needed for harmonious existence of diverse mosaic.
Citing examples of pre and post independence regional parties like Justice Party (Madras), National Conference (Jammu and Kashmir), Jharkhand Party, Shiromoni Akali Dal (Punjab), the authors elaborated upon the causes for their emergence, by taking clues from previous work- Rajni Kothari where idea of interaction between the party of consensuses (Congress) and the parties of pressure (non-Congress parties), factionalism and splits in Congress, Paul Brass' notion of absence of authoritative laedership in Congress etc have revisited to provide the introduction a conceptual clarity.
In the next section titled 'National Parties and Regionalism', themes along with the data are put forward to bring home the aspect as where to place the operation of regional parties in larger Indian polity framework.
In the next section titled 'National Parties and Regionalism', themes along with the data are put forward to bring home the aspect as where to place the operation of regional parties in larger Indian polity framework.
The data reveals that from first election in 1952, up to election in 2004, the number of parties participating in Lok Sabha elections has risen to 230 which speaks about increasing presence and fragmented nature of political ambit. Similarly, the vote share for national parties in 2004 was approximately 62 per cent, for state parties 28 per cent and other regional parties three per cent which has to be read in consonance with the fact that in first elections the national parties had a share of 76 per cent and state parties had a share of eight per cent only. Alongside these glaring statistical data, the authors provide insight into the kind of pressures generated by these parties through their workings. These pressures are like rise of secessionism, power greed, rise of personality cult as seen in parties like RJD, BJD, DMK .
A good comparative insight comes forward as we scan through the working of three coalitions - National Front (NF), National Democratic Alliance (NDA), United Progressive Alliance (UPA). With NF being too short lived and with no coherent agenda, the NDA, on the other hand, displayed maturity to be a tolerant coalitional partner with Bharatiya Janata Party shunning down its essence of Hindutva and the successor UPA being as a post poll programmatic alliance to keep NDA out of power.
A good comparative insight comes forward as we scan through the working of three coalitions - National Front (NF), National Democratic Alliance (NDA), United Progressive Alliance (UPA). With NF being too short lived and with no coherent agenda, the NDA, on the other hand, displayed maturity to be a tolerant coalitional partner with Bharatiya Janata Party shunning down its essence of Hindutva and the successor UPA being as a post poll programmatic alliance to keep NDA out of power.
The authors try to draw a contrast between the policy aspects via common minimum programmes of NDA and UPA, where there is similarity to have policy in sync with the change reality, irrespective of ideology of main coalitional partner Cogress or BJP eg: both talk about introduction of VAT, reform banking, investment agriculture, improved health, education system.
Diversity is best hallmark adjective to define Indian union. Regional parties can be best example of the same. To have plurality in working of polity is good but not to the extent that this plurality tears the inclusive character of society. To talk of one party, dominance is the chimera in present coalitional era where no one party can stand up to the different and distinct needs of Indian citizens, juxtaposed with aspect of globalisation which has not only lead to shrinking of space and time but also made the 'local' as its anti-thesis to the fore. Indian being a federal union, so regional parties does give a certain degree of bargaining space to the states when the balance of power is heavily skewed towards the union in the constitution.
As we move away from this theoretical reality, we find that in actual practice, we find what the authors lament that the governance takes a back seat. There are too many issues but resources to satisfy the same are meager. So the challenge for Indian union lies in how to chug along different lines bearing the heterogeneous character yet ensuring the sanctity of united fabric. In a nutshell the book is a good compilation of ideas and facts, perhaps this book has its short coming here that it fails to put forward an agenda as to how to streamline the working of regional parties, how to make governance a phenomena which has illicit support from all sections and what are the areas for reform of political parties.
Diversity is best hallmark adjective to define Indian union. Regional parties can be best example of the same. To have plurality in working of polity is good but not to the extent that this plurality tears the inclusive character of society. To talk of one party, dominance is the chimera in present coalitional era where no one party can stand up to the different and distinct needs of Indian citizens, juxtaposed with aspect of globalisation which has not only lead to shrinking of space and time but also made the 'local' as its anti-thesis to the fore. Indian being a federal union, so regional parties does give a certain degree of bargaining space to the states when the balance of power is heavily skewed towards the union in the constitution.
As we move away from this theoretical reality, we find that in actual practice, we find what the authors lament that the governance takes a back seat. There are too many issues but resources to satisfy the same are meager. So the challenge for Indian union lies in how to chug along different lines bearing the heterogeneous character yet ensuring the sanctity of united fabric. In a nutshell the book is a good compilation of ideas and facts, perhaps this book has its short coming here that it fails to put forward an agenda as to how to streamline the working of regional parties, how to make governance a phenomena which has illicit support from all sections and what are the areas for reform of political parties.
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