CEC, UGC Book Discussion on Indias 2009 Election: Coalition Politics, Party Competition, and Congress Continuity

Edited By Paul Wallace Ramashray Roy

Published By Sage Publications 2011 Participants of Discussion Prof Ramashray Roy, Mr Ravi Ranjan, Dr. Maneesha

The Idea This Book is 4th in series on Indian Elections, since 1998 general election. Editors are known scholars of Indian politics, their reflections are based analysis of election results and developments in Indian politics This series is discussing the linkages between politics and governance using election as one of the perspectives.

Focus of Present Volume (4th in series) coalition politics party competition and Congress continuity at centre and its influence in many states coalition formation and coalition operation in Indian politics in the era of globalization

Objective of the book Linking democracy and politics both as a form of informed political participation by citizens and as a method of organising institutions of governance This volume is trying to understand democracy by using election as a window to see the process of politics and to make political judgment

The Design: Structure of the book Part I: thematic concerns covering India as a whole discussing the issues related to the politics Part II: focusing on state politics and covering the electoral analysis from different states in India

The Content Analysis: Strength of the book

Thematic analysis of election results by using authentic data Focus on regional variation in electoral politics and its impact on national politics Causal and corelational analysis of congress win in 2009 election explaining changes in pattern of party politics Role of women in electoral politics and impact of their participation, Dalit issues and identity politics in terms caste and religion has been covered properly in various chapters

The Content Analysis: Strength of the book Coverage of institutional aspect of politics by emphasizing the conceptualization of vibrant and dynamic federal system in era of coalition politics Functional national coalition with assertive states with focus on understanding the balance between centre and state Descriptive analysis of politics of development and electoral competition Historical account of coalition politics in India.

Points of Discussion Elections may be a necessary but it is not a sufficient process to understand the Indian democracy The relationship between democracy and politics is very complex in Indian context Institutional aspects of politics like federalism, constitutional obligations like social justice requires further explanations The political process concerning issues of identity, ethnicity, language need more analysis

Points of Discussion coalition politics is not based on ideological principles but it is an affinity of interests Limits of election studies Dissuading trends in issues based politics Linking electoral system and political process like and peoples movement