Electoral Politics and Hindu Nationalism in India: The Bharatiya Jana Sangh, 1951-1971

This book analyzes the rise and growth of the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Jana Sangh in post-independent India, tracing its electoral journey from 1951 to 1971. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the party's origin, ideas, and electoral performances, surveying the issues of conflicts between intraparty factions and critiquing its Hindutva politics. The book also investigates leadership-succession crises, vote-sharing patterns, and coalition trends with non-Congress parties in states outside the Hindi language belt.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 182 pages
Publication date: 21 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the rise and growth of the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Jana Sangh in post-independent India, tracing its electoral journey from 1951 to 1971. Offering a detailed analysis of the party's origins, ideas, and electoral performances in the first two decades of its existence, the book provides an overview of the state-wise electoral record of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, highlighting its ability to mobilize Hindu support and manage factional disputes. It also surveys the issues of conflicts between the intraparty factions dominated by recruits from the Rastriya Swayamseyak Sangh and the others. Additionally, the author presents a critical evaluation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh's Hindutva politics, discussing its limited appeal among the masses and its challenges in addressing socio-economic concerns. With a particular focus on the states situated outside the Hindi language belt of Northern India, the book analyzes the electoral outcomes of the Jana Sangh during each national and state legislative elections. Drawing upon the dialectics of ideology and exigency, it conducts a thorough investigation of leadership-succession crises, patterns of vote sharing at the regional level, and trends of coalition formation with non-Congress parties in the states. By providing a nuanced understanding of the processes leading to the strengthening of right-wing political parties in India, this book will appeal to academics working in the fields of nationalism, party politics, and South Asian Politics.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032474960