Politics of Congress Factionalism in Kerala Since 1982

Factional politics has become an absorbing theme for Indian political scientists. Subjecting Indian National Congress at its All India level or at the regional levels, to the prism of factionalism is a fascinating exercise in Indian political studies. After expressing the rationale for the study author sketches chronologically the politics factionalism in the Congress Party at the All India level and in Kerala since 1885 to 1982. Then he addresses Congress Factionalism in Kerala since 1982 in background of Congress politics at the national level. The book has four major credits. Firstly, it identify the porosity of the party structure that is endemic to factionalism. Secondly, it delineates the social base which enter into factional politics. Thirdly, it works the ultimate determinants of factionalism in Congress Party empirically. Fourthly, it challenges the notion that factionalism is always destructive. The empirical part of the study remains an original contribution of the author. This timely and relevant study is a rich contribution to the field of factional politics in India.