Electoral Dynamics in the States of India

"This is a careful, data-based analysis of the 2019 state level electoral results. The contributors provide thoughtful, granular and insightful analyses to explain the variation in electoral outcomes across the states that went to the polls. Any scholar or analyst interested in state-level politics in India will benefit from a careful perusal of this book."

- Šumit Ganguly, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA

"Looking beyond the saffron wave, this book analyses the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in a systematic manner at the state level. This approach allows the author to restore India’s political diversity by relying on the unmatched richness of the CSDS-Lokniti National Election Survey. Not only the singularity of the non-BJP states is explained, but the contrast between state politics and national politics in the strongholds of Moditva are deciphered too. A must-read!"

- Christophe Jafferlote, King's India Institute, London, UK

"Empirically rich and theoretically engaging, Electoral Dynamics in the States of India, is a must read for anyone interested in Indian elections and party politics. Each chapter offers a comprehensive and data rich analysis of the verdict in the 2019 national elections. The book is impressive in its geographic coverage. Electoral Dynamics in the States of India distills the complex and variegated nature Indian elections into a clear and readable analysis, which should appeal to all readers."

- Pradeep Chhibber, Professor and Indo-American Community Chair in India Studies, UC Berkeley, USA

"The period from 2014 to 2019 is a ‘critical juncture’ in Indian politics when BJP’s hegemony consolidated and expanded across India despite some setbacks. Despite this centralism and establishment of what appears to be another “one-party dominant system,” this volume of state-level analysis of the 2019 national election reveals fascinating regional patterns of voting behaviors, as well as how the state-level party systems are evolving. It shows the deeper sources of BJP’s consolidation and how the emergence of a hegemonic dominant party system is built brick-by-brick across states and where it faces some resistance. Such a deep yet comprehensive dive into each state’s electoral and political life is indispensable for understanding the national picture. This book will become a valuable source material for scholars interested in India’s electoral and party politics, state-level politics and consolidation of Hindu nationalism."

- Aseema Sinha, Wagener Professor of Comparative and South Asian Politics, and Roberts Fellow, Claremont Mckenna College, USA