Centre-State Relations in India: Perceptions of Non-Congress Political Parties

The working of the constitutional paradigm of federal governance in India during the last fifty years has produced more problems than solving them. Paradoxically various issues of national importance like appointment and role of governor, frequent promulgation of presidential rule in states, and conflicts and tensions encircling centre-state relations in legislative, administrative, and financial fields have preoccupied more time of the legislators, political parties, policy makers and scholars than the core issues of nation building, socio-economic development, national integration, communal harmony and a corruption-free bureaucracy. The uninterrupted rule of the Indian National Congress at the centre for the first 30 years after independence is responsible for this state of affairs. One party dominance has contributed significantly to the weakening of federal principles in our polity. The focus of the present study is to analyse the perceptions of the major political parties on the issues of Indian Federalism; it profiles succinctly the views of political parties like the Janata Party (and its variants), BJP, CPI, CPI (M), DMK and AIADMK, on centre-state relations. The book provides a comprehensive list of recommendations for improving the centre state relations. It will be useful for the policy-makers, teachers and students alike.