Recent Developments in Indian Politics

You will notice that BJP and Congress were engaged in a tough competition in this period. What is the difference between their electoral fortunes if you compare these with the 1984 elections?

Discuss amongst yourselves the factors that have enabled democracy to thrive in India.

Unscramble a bunch of disarranged press clipping file of Unni-Munni… and arrange the file chronologically. (a) Implementation of the recommendation of the Mandal Commission (b) Formation of the Janata Dal (c) Supreme court Judgment on the Ram Janmabhoomi (d) Assassination of Indira Gandhi (e) The formation of NDA government (f) Formation of the UPA government

Match the following. (a) Politics of Consensus (b) Caste based parties (c) Personal Law and Gender Justice (d) Growing strength of Regional parties (i) Shah Bano case (ii) Rise of OBCs (iii) Coalition government (iv) Agreement on Economic policies

State the main issues in Indian politics in the period after 1989. What different configurations of political parties these differences lead to?

“In the new era of coalition politics, political parties are not aligning or realigning on the basis of ideology.” What arguments would you put forward to support or oppose this statement?

Trace the emergence of BJP as a significant force in post-Emergency politics.

In spite of the decline of Congress dominance, the Congress party continues to influence politics in the country. Do you agree? Give reasons.

Many people think that a two-party system is required for successful democracy. Drawing from India’s experience of last 30 years, write an essay on what advantages the present party system in India has.

Read the passage and answer the questions below: Party politics in India has confronted numerous challenges. Not only has the Congress system destroyed itself, but the fragmentation of the Congress coalition has triggered a new emphasis on self-representation which raises questions about the party system and its 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. — Zoya Hasan