Author: Ajay K Mehra
D D Khanna/Gert W Kueck
Editor(s): Ajay K Mehra / D D Khanna / Gert W Kueck
Publisher: Sage Publications
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 420
ISBN/UPC (if available): 0761997091
Description
The evolution of political parties and party systems in the world’s largest, most complex and volatile democracy reached a crucial stage at the turn of the century. The three general elections held in quick succession at the end of the nineties threw up three major trends: the decline of the Congress Party as the dominant pan-national party; the emergence of a federalised party structure and coalition politics; and the apparent demise of the Third Front as a force in national politics.
This topical collection of original essays by eminent scholars drawn from diverse disciplines examines these wide-ranging changes in political parties-their leadership, ideological profile, support base and programmatic content-as well as in the texture of the party system in the country. In understanding these complex processes, this volume provides a comparative framework by bringing in the experiences of Germany and the European Union, which are also undergoing political transformation.
REVIEWS
The book aims to study the developments in the Indian party system by reviewing the texture and pattern of political alliances while discussing the strategies and issues governing the party system in India, All the 16 chapters of the book are informative and provide insight, The book is a must read for students of politics and society.
-The Pioneer
This edited volume, consisting of original articles especially written for the volume, is welcome as academic writings illustrating the effects of social and electoral change upon the nature of parties and party systems in the post-Congress Indian polity are not easily available.
-The Tribune
Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION AJAY K MEHRA
Historical Development of the Party Systems in India AJAY K MEHRA
Federalisation of India’s Party System BALVEER ARORA
The Party System in Germany and Party Fragmentation in the European Union KARL-RUDOLF KORTE
Social, Cultural and Economic Dimensions of the Party System AMIT PRAKASH
How Many Parties are too Many? PRAN CHOPRA
The Electoral Framework, Process and Political Parties MADHAV GODBOLE
Parties, Civil Society and the State in India S K CHAUBE
The Congress and the BJP: Struggle for the Heartland PARTHA S GHOSH
The Third Front or the Third Force: A Political Maze or an Ideological Oasis? BIDYUT CHAKRABARTY
The Third Force: As an Ideology and as a Reality MUCHKUND DUBEY
The National Parties and the Regional Allies: A Study in the Socio-Political Dynamics PRADEEP KUMAR
The Regional Parties and Democracy: Romantic Rendezvous or Localised Legitimation SUHAS PALSHIKAR
The Contest for the Marginal Space: Parties and Politics in Small Indian States SAJAL NAG
Mediating Economic Reforms: Party Politics from Bangalore to Chennai HARISH KHARE
Local Democracy and Political Parties in India SANDEEP SHASTRI
INDEX