UPSC Issue at a Glance | Coalition Government: 4 key questions you must know for your exams

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What is the issue?

The 18th Lok Sabha Election results show that no single party has a majority in the lower house of Parliament to form a government. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has returned to power for a historic third straight term at the Centre. Unlike in the last two terms, the BJP this time does not have a majority on its own,  implying that a coalition government at the Centre could lead to a shift in the national political discourse. In this context, it is important to know about a coalition government and its various aspects from a broader perspective.

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance.

Mains Examination: GS-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Other areas of relevance: UPSC Aspirants will find it useful in Essays, and Current affairs for their Personality tests.

Question 1: What is a coalition government?

Answer: It has often been difficult for a single political party to obtain the majority required to form a national government. In this context, a coalition government is formed that consists of multiple political parties or individuals working together, sometimes with different ideologies and viewpoints. 

Coalitions can be either a) pre-poll and b) post-election. Generally, member political parties in a coalition form a political alliance and adopt a common programme. 

The main aim of a coalition government is to ensure majority control of the parliament or legislative assembly and the implementation of a common minimum programme.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the features of a coalition government?

— How is a coalition government different from a majoritarian government?

Post-Read Question:

What do you understand about the term ‘coalition government’? How does it strengthen the decentralisation of power in a democracy?

Question 2: What is the history of coalition governments in India?

Answer: Coalition governments are not a new phenomenon in India. India has had a coalition government at the central and state levels. 

 Chakshu Roy Writes— “Coalitions at the national level caught public attention in 1977 when Morarji Desai formed the first non-Congress coalition government. His government, a testament to the evolving political landscape, included ministers like Charan Singh, L K Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Biju Patnaik, Parkash Singh Badal, George Fernandes, and Shanti Bhushan.

Looking back, we find that 1977 was not the country’s first brush with a national coalition. The 1946 interim government just before Independence and the first government formed after Independence in 1947 were both coalitions.

The 1946 interim government was responsible for steering India to Independence. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was at the helm of this government. Nehru followed the coalition template in independent India’s first council of ministers. Historian Ramachandra Guha wrote that in putting together this Cabinet, Nehru followed the advice of Mahatma Gandhi and reached beyond Congress to include the best minds, regardless of political affiliations. As a result, not being a Congressman was not a bar to joining the Cabinet. It led to additions like Dr B R Ambedkar (Law), businessman R K Shanmukham Chetty (Finance), and Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee (Industry and Supply) of the Jan Sangh.

Jawaharlal Nehru with members of the interim government in 1946. (Image source: Wikipedia)

In his book The Government and Politics of India, Prof Morris Jones highlighted, “The chosen fortress-holders of 1947 included many with little or no connection with Congress. It was a coalition government in two senses. First and foremost, it contained a strikingly careful selection of representatives of communities and regions … Secondly, it was a policy coalition also, though not by virtue of containing a balance of opinions: on the contrary, the non-Congress opinions represented were all (with the possible exception of Ambedkar) in some sense markedly conservative.”

The party system in India in the first twenty-five years or so after Independence was dominated by the Congress. Acting on its historical legacy, the Congress party represented a broad-based social coalition. But the period from the latter half of the 1980s onwards witnessed the decline of the Congress’s dominance. Simultaneously, the emergence of new regional and social groups paved the way for the growth of a new genre of parties, alignments and a multi-party system. These factors led to the emergence of coalition governments in India. With the general elections of 1989, a long phase of coalition politics began in Indian democracy.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is hung parliament?

— What led to the formation of India’s interim government and what decisions did it take?

— Who were the members of India’s interim government?

Post Read Question:

How has coalition politics shaped the dynamics of the Indian political system since independence?

(Source: History Headline: As Modi heads a coalition, which was India’s first such government?, Explained: When India’s interim government was formed in 1946)

Question 3: What factors led to the establishment of coalition governments in India?

Answer: The decline of Congress dominance, the emergence of strong regional movements and various regional parties formed on the basis of their regional interests all had an impact on the Indian party system which resulted in coalition governments in states and at the Centre. Some of the factors that led to the coalition governments in India are:

1. Decline of Congress Dominance: The emergence of coalition politics in India can be seen as a result of the decline of Congress dominance. In the first three general elections there was Congress dominance. The legacy of the National Freedom movement, national organisational presence and the charismatic leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru contributed to the dominance of the Congress in Indian politics. However, Congress’s dominance was first challenged during the 1960s. As political competition became intense, the Congress found it difficult to retain its dominance. It also faced challenges from the opposition. The Congress also faced internal challenges, as the party could no longer accommodate all kinds of differences. But the 1989 elections marked the downfall of the dominance of the Congress and the beginning of coalition politics in India.

2. Regionalism: The presence of several linguistic, cultural, ethnic, religious, and caste groupings in Indian society contributes significantly to regionalism and the formation and expansion of regional parties. Regionalism can be viewed as a prominent factor that not only influences national politics but also moulds centre-state relations.

Regionalism is a feeling or idea shared by a group of people living in a certain geographic area and having a distinct language, culture, etc. Regionalism has resulted in the creation of regional movements and political parties with agendas tailored to their distinct communities.

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3. Rise of Regional Parties: The emergence of regional parties has greatly shaped the Indian political system and has been a major factor leading to coalition governments. Most of the regional parties that are formed to achieve their regional goals have cut into the vote banks of the national political parties in their respective regions. These parties have formed governments in many states and have contributed to the formation of coalition governments at the centre. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Janata Dal (United), All India Trinamool Congress, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), all have played a crucial role in the formation of coalition governments. Thus, we can say that the regional parties’ assertions led to the federal approach to governance. Their presence in the coalition government strengthens the “periphery” while promoting federal governance at the centre.

Points to Ponder: 

— What do you understand about the multi-party system?

— What are the causes of regionalism?

— What can be the impacts of regionalism on Indian Polity?

Post Read Question:

What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on a regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Question 4: What are the implications of coalition government?

Answer: Some of the implications of coalition government are:

1. Impact on Economy: The nature of government at the centre widely shapes the economic policies of the country since the ideologies of the ruling party get reflected in the macro- and microeconomic policies. When there is a single majority ruling party in the centre, it can have a salutary effect on the trajectory of economic reforms in India. But, when there is a coalition government at the centre, the impact of various viewpoints (regional parties) that are part of the coalition plays a key role in the initiatives of the government and building consensus among the different parties becomes challenging, which greatly affects the policy decisions of the central government.

Udit Mishra Writes— “ Since 1991, when India was forced to open up its economy and give up on the planned economy model, all governments were coalitions of the sort where even the lead party was quite far from the majority mark of 272. This obvious weakness of the leading party — be it the Congress or the BJP or the so-called third front — meant that India always had — to borrow the words of Montek Singh Ahluwalia (former Deputy Chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission) — “a strong consensus for weak reforms”.

However, we also have examples of big economic reforms taken by the coalition government.

Udit Mishra Writes— “ If one looks back at India’s economic history since 1991, it becomes clear that coalition governments have undertaken some of the boldest and most visionary reforms that laid the foundation for India’s resurgence.”

2. Impact on Centre-State Relations: The coalition government at the centre impacts centre-state relations as well. When multiple centres of power in the form of regional parties become part of the national coalition government, they put efforts into fulfilling their own interests; thus, shaping the federal dynamics of the country, sometimes in the form of cooperative federalism, sometimes in the form of competitive federalism.

Louise Tillin Writes— “Regional parties in the national coalition government seek to advance the interests of their parties (with negotiation over cabinet and ministerial positions) and of their states (such as the demands for special status being asserted on behalf of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar)……Special-interest regional politics…may threaten a wider federal bargain if it bolsters the impression that partisanship rather than principles determine the distribution of resources across regions within India.”

3. Impact on Policies: Coalition governments also affect policies. While some argue that national coalition governments provide more inclusive policies, others believe that coalitions limit policymaking. It could also lead to policy instability as getting everyone on board while formulating policies becomes a matter of great effort in the alliance.

4. Impact on Political Stability: The coalition government remains subject to pulls and pressures, as coalition partners go for bargaining. As a result, some coalitions fail unless all partners are on board.

— Does the coalition government in the centre affect the foreign policy of the nation?

Post Read Question:

How far do you think cooperation, competition and confrontation have shaped the nature of federation in India? Cite some recent examples to validate your answer. (UPSC CSE 2020)

(Source: No party wins majority: What does a coalition government mean for economic reforms in India?, This is the moment for a new federal compact, )

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