Since 1989, there has been a noticeable shift in Indian politics with Congress losing power and BJP gaining strength. In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, UPA’s win over NDA was noteworthy, indicating a shift in the political landscape. During this time, four primary political groups emerged: those backing Congress, coalitions supporting BJP, the Left Front, and various independent parties, setting the stage for a new political understanding.

Lok Sabha Elections, 2004

Congress’s Coalition Strategy: ​​In the 2004 elections, the Congress party extensively engaged in coalitions. 

• Consequently, NDA was defeated, and United Progressive Alliance, under Congress’s leadership, assumed power, bolstered by support from Left Front parties.
• Narrow Vote Difference: The 2004 elections saw a marginal difference in votes between Congress and its allies and BJP and its allies. 
• • This minor gap marked a dramatic shift in the party system, transforming the political landscape significantly.
• Post-1990s, politics revealed four party groups: Congress allies, BJP partners, Left Front, and unaligned parties. (Refer to Figure 8.6)

Growing Consensus

After 1990, a consensus appears to have emerged among the most parties which consists of four elements:

• Agreement on new Economic Policy.
  • Although several groups oppose the new economic policies, the majority of political parties rally in support. 
  • A common belief among these parties is that these policies will elevate the country to prosperity and establish it as an economic powerhouse globally.
• Acceptance of political and social claims of backward classes.
  • Recognizing social and political claims of backward castes, political parties unanimously endorse reservations for them in education, employment, and power distribution.

• Acceptance of the role of state-level parties in the governance of the country.
  • A significant trend is emerging:   significance of State-level versus national-level parties is diminishing rapidly. 
  • State parties have started sharing power at a national level, playing a central role in shaping country’s political dynamics for last twenty years or so.
• Emphasis on pragmatic considerations rather than ideological positions and political alliance without ideological agreement
  • The dynamics of coalition politics have transformed party priorities from ideology to power-sharing agreements. 
  • Notably, despite disagreements, NDA parties, including those opposed to BJP’s ‘Hindutva’ ideology, collaboratively formed a government and completed a full term in power. (Refer to Figure 8.8)

Conclusion

This chapter provides an overview of the challenges faced by the party system in India. The chapter discusses the decline of Congress’s dominance and the fragmentation of the Congress coalition, which have raised questions about the party system’s capacity to accommodate diverse interests. An important test facing the polity is to evolve a party system or political parties that can effectively articulate and aggregate a variety of interests.

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