Coalition Government

Context (IE): The coalition union government has been formed after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

What is a Coalition Government?

A coalition government is formed when multiple political parties or individuals join forces to achieve a majority needed to govern, often due to a single party not obtaining the required majority.
Coalitions can be pre-poll or post-election, where member parties adopt a common program to ensure majority control of the parliament or legislative assembly and implement shared policies.
At the Union level, there have been instances of coalition governments since 1977. Regionalism and the rise of regional parties have been one of the major factors leading to coalition governments in India.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Coalition Government

Advantages	Disadvantages
Representation of diverse interests leading Consensus-based decision making Strengthens Centre-state relations Checks and Balances Provides a hedge against possible hegemony and unbridled power in the hands of few Innovative policy solutions Better regional integration	Perceived instability Difficulty in decision-making Compromise on ideological positions Policy Paralysis and Ineffective Governance Increased Corruption Short-term focus and dependence on alliance

Implications of Coalition Governments

Impact on Economy

Economic Policy Influence: Coalition governments reflect diverse viewpoints of regional parties, making consensus-building challenging and affecting policy decisions.

Impact on Centre-State Relations

Regional parties in national coalitions push for their interests, influencing federal dynamics and sometimes leading to cooperative or competitive federalism.
Regional parties may advance specific regional demands, impacting the broader federal balance.

Impact on Policies and Political Stability

It may result in more inclusive policies, though achieving consensus can be difficult.
Coalition governments face policy instability due to diverse party interests and internal bargaining, risking collapse if partners do not agree.

Impact on Foreign Policy

Coalition governments may change foreign policy priorities but generally maintain core principles like non-alignment and strategic autonomy.
Consensus Building: Requires agreement among coalition partners, leading to a balanced but potentially delayed decision-making process. E.g. the opposition of the left parties led to delays and modifications in the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Ideological Differences: Partners’ differing stances can affect the overall foreign policy approach, such as prioritising ties with different countries.
Regional parties can shape foreign policy, especially with neighbouring countries. E.g. Tamil Nadu’s influence on policy towards Sri Lanka.

History of Coalition Government in India

The 1946 interim government just before Independence and the first government formed after Independence in 1947 were coalition governments.
In 1967, some non-congress governments were formed in some states for the first time.
In 1977, the Janta party led by Morarji Desai formed the first non-Congress coalition government. Eleven parties, including the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (predecessor of the BJP) came together to form the Janata government. The government collapsed in two years.
In the 1980s and 1990s, there were a series of coalition governments as no single party could secure a decisive majority in the Lok Sabha.
In 1989, the National Front coalition, led by Vishwanath Pratap Singh of the Janata Dal, came into power, succeeded in 1990 by a Janata Dal (Socialist) administration under Chandra Shekhar. However, his government collapsed within seven months after the Congress withdrew its support in March 1991.
In 1996, Deve Gowda took oath as Prime Minister with the external support of the Congress. This coalition government was known as the ‘United Front‘. Congress withdrew its support for the United Front government in 1997. Subsequently, Gowda resigned.
Amidst the political turmoil, Inder Kumar Gujral, the former external affairs minister in the Gowda administration, emerged as the successor with external support from the Congress. In November 1997, Congress withdrew its backing for the Gujral administration, marking the end of Gujral’s tenure.
It was succeeded by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister from 1998 to 2004. It was the first coalition government to complete its full term.
It was followed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014.

Economic moves during Coalition Governments (1991-2014)

Since 1991 economic reforms, most of the governments were coalitions.
1991-1996: Discarded centralised planning, opened the economy, removed licence-permit raj.
1996-1997: Introduced “dream budget” with tax cuts.
1998-2004: Implemented Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) law, focused on rural infrastructure (PM Gram Sadak Yojana), introduced Information Technology Act, 2000.
2004-2014: Initiated the Right to Education Act, introduced rights-based reforms (Right to Information Act, Right to Food, MGNREGA), deregulated fuel prices, etc.

Hung Parliament

A hung parliament is a situation in a parliamentary system where no single political party or pre-existing coalition has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament. Thus, legislation cannot be passed without support from other parties or independent members.
If the government loses a confidence vote, it may lead to frequent elections.
The President of India plays a crucial role in inviting the leader of the party or coalition that is most likely to command a majority in the Lok Sabha to form the government.