Parties, Elections and Mobilisation

In contemporary India, States have come to play increasingly important roles in shaping India’s federal system. Therefore, studies of electoral behaviour and political mobilization have come to assume great significance in the analytical exercises on Indian politics. In this context the State of Andhra Pradesh has become a trend-setter in Indian politics and has been active in shaping the contours of national politics. N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has lately emerged as a key player capable of swaying national politics. In fact the advent of Naidu provided a new turn and twist to coalition politics at all India level. It is against this backdrop the present volume examines the importance of State politics and the role of Telugu Desam Party with particular reference to the 1999 general elections in the State of Andhra Pradesh. This book not only provides the background to Andhra Pradesh State politics since Independence but also contains a detailed discussion on the dominance and decline of one party system and the emergence of competitive party system since the rise of Telugu Desam Party in the State. The book throws light on the political developments in the State of Andhra Pradesh and its impact on the national political scenario since 1996 to present.