The Emerging Politics of Cohabitation: New Challenges

Abstract

In six general elections since 1989, no single party has secured an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, necessitating the support of other parties for government formation. What was initially considered to be a transient phase in Indian politics has not only stayed, but has also evolved its own rules of engagement. As the UPA becomes only the second coalition formation to complete fi ve years in power after the NDA’s 1999-2004 stint, India is now well and truly in the age of coalition politics, having been under coalition and/or minority governments for two decades now. As the 15th general election approaches, the prospects of coalition formations contesting the elections are brighter than the leading parties contesting on their own. The reported stresses and strains in all the coalition formations, currently with regard to seat-sharing arrangements, is only a foretaste of the hard bargaining that is likely to take place post elections. Indeed, aside from the established trends, new rules of the coalition game could emerge with this election.