India's Current Political Scenario

India’s Current Political Scenario Politics at the Centre The Union Progressive Alliance Government United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is the present ruling coalition of political parties in India. UPA was formed soon after the 2004 Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections. However, an informal alliance had existed prior to the elections as several of the current constituent parties had developed seat-sharing agreements in many states. Initially, the proposed name for the alliance was 'Secular Progressive Alliance'. Composition of the Current Lok Sabha (Lower House)

Others, 80 Left Front, 59

UPA, 218

NDA, 186

Total seats: 545

This alliance is externally supported (supporters are not part of the government) by the four main leftist parties ƒ Communist Party of India (Marxist) ƒ Communist Party of India ƒ Revolutionary Socialist Party ƒ All India Forward Bloc

A Common Minimum Programme (CMP) was adopted at the time of formation of the government with the idea of consolidating the agenda of the coalition government. The UPA-Left Coordination Committee was formed to maintain coordination between the Left parties and UPA. Constituents of the UPA • Indian National Congress (INC) • Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) • Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) • Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) • Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) • Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) • Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) • Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) • Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJNSP) • Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) • Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) • Republican Party of India (Athvale) (RPI(A)) • Republican Party of India (Gavai) (RPI(G)) • All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimen (AIMIM) • Kerala Congress (KC)

Opposition: National Democratic Alliance The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that led the Government of India between 1998 and 2004, under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the form of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in alliance with several other parties, now leads the opposition. Former Deputy Prime Minister and BJP chief Lal Krishna Advani heads the NDA as Leader of the Opposition. Constituents of NDA ƒ Bhartiya Janata Party ƒ Janata Dal (United) ƒ Biju Janata Dal ƒ Trinamool Congress ƒ Shiromani Akali Dal ƒ Nagaland People's Front ƒ Mizo National Front National Advisory Council • The National Advisory Council is an advisory body set up to monitor the implementation of the UPA government's manifesto, the Common Minimum Programme(CMP) •

The leader of the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of NAC, holding the status of a cabinet minister

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However on March 2006 Sonia Gandhi resigned from the post of chairmanship of the NAC

Issues and Performance of the UPA government •

The Government led by Dr Manmohan Singh completed its two years in office on May 22, 2006

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Singh had previously served as a Finance Minister under Congress Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in the early-1990s

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Well-respected economist Dr. Singh seen has been seen as one of the architects of India's first economic liberalization plan

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More or less continuing the broad economic reforms that were set in motion by Dr Manmohan Singh himself in 1991, which were ably pushed forward by the previous Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

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Despite stiff resistance from the supporting Left front, along with the Finance minister P Chidambaram, Singh is taking forward the process of liberalization and privatization

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The government has gone ahead with allowing FDI in certain vital sectors despite the Left’s opposition. • Allowed open retail trade to FDI in single brand category • 10 per cent voting cap in the Banking Regulation Act • Privatisation of the Delhi and Mumbai airports

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Despite resistance from the Left, Manmohan Singh government is taking forward IndoUS civilian nuclear deal

Issues • Criticism over so called “two centres of power in the Government”- one the Prime Minister and the other, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, previously the chairperson of the National Advisory Council. •

Congress claims Dr. Singh and Sonia Gandhi have a very good equation

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Differences became apparent when Sonia Gandhi openly questioned the usefulness of the Free Trade Area (FTA) agreements with various countries and blocs

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Pressure from Alliance partners and the Left Front (supporting from outside) • Left parties, more often than not, have got their way in dictating terms on major issues • delay in taking a decision on hiking the prices of petroleum products due to Left pressure

State Political Scenario India has 28 state governments and 7 union territories. Elections were held for the formation of state governments in the all the 28 states and two of the Union Territories (Delhi and Pondicherry). In 14 of these states there are Indian National Congress goverments and and BJP government in 4.

Indian National Congress Ruled States Bhartiya Janta Party Ruled States Left Front Government

Indian National Congress ruled states Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Delhi (UT), Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Pondichery (UT),Punjab and Uttaranchal Bharatiya Janata Party ruled states Bihar (alliance with Janta Dal United), Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan. Left Front ruled states Kerala, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Tribura, Communist Party of India (Marxist) West Bengal, Communist Party of India (Marxist)