functioning of political parties in india an agenda for reforms

Abstract

newline Political parties are a strong link between the society and the institutions of the government and play the most vital role in the modern state system and more particularly in a parliamentary democratic system. Political parties and the party system in India have been greatly influenced by cultural and social diversity, ethnic, caste, community and religious plurality, long established traditions of the nationalist movement, different pattern of party leadership, and ideological perspectives. Therefore, the emergence and functioning of political parties is largely determined by the structure of the society in which they originate and operate. newlineThe history of origin and growth of political parties can be traced from the days of Indian s struggle for freedom in a broad based anti-colonial movement, which encompassed all regions and all stratas of society. The mass social awakening eventually crystallized into the framework of party system, initiated by the twin factor of socio-religious reforms and political reactions to colonialism. newline