Democracy without associations

the long version

"India's party system has undergone a profound transformation over the last decade. The Congress Party, a catchall party that brought independence in 1947 and governed India for much of the period since then, no longer dominates the electoral scene. Political parties that draw support from particular castes and religious groups are now more powerful than ever before. Democracy without Associations explains why religious and caste-based political parties have come to dominate the electoral landscape in 1990s India and why catchall parties have declined."--BOOK JACKET. "Democracy without Associations will interest scholars and students of Indian politics and party politics, as well as those interested in the impact of social divisions on the political system."--BOOK JACKET.