BharatNotes What is Coalition Politics?
Coalition politics is the practice of governing through an alliance of multiple political parties when no single party wins an absolute majority in the legislature. The partners agree on a shared agenda — usually a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) — and distribute ministerial portfolios and policy influence among themselves. In India's parliamentary system, the alliance leader is invited by the President to form the government on demonstrating majority support in the Lok Sabha.
Evolution in India
India's first coalition government took shape in 1977, when the Janata Party, led by Morarji Desai, defeated the Congress after the Emergency, though it collapsed by 1979 due to internal factionalism. National-level coalition politics then matured across several phases.
| Coalition / Alliance | Period (PMs) | Lead party |
|---|---|---|
| Janata Party | 1977-79 (Morarji Desai) | Janata Party |
| National Front | 1989-90 (V.P. Singh) | Janata Dal |
| United Front | 1996-98 (Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral) | Janata Dal-led (13 parties) |
| NDA | founded 15 May 1998 (Vajpayee; Modi) | BJP |
| UPA | 2004-14 (Manmohan Singh) | Congress |
The NDA controlled a Lok Sabha majority from 1998 to 2004 and returned to power in 2014. The UPA, with the Congress as its largest constituent, governed from 2004 to 2014 under Manmohan Singh.
Coalition Politics and the Anti-Defection Law
Frequent defections — legislators switching parties for ministerial berths — destabilised coalition arrangements. To curb this, the 52nd Constitutional Amendment, 1985 inserted the Tenth Schedule, disqualifying legislators who voluntarily give up party membership or defy a party whip. The 91st Constitutional Amendment, 2003 further tightened the regime by deleting the one-third "split" exemption (only a two-thirds merger is now protected) and capping the Council of Ministers at 15% of the strength of the Lok Sabha or a State Assembly (minimum 12 in smaller states). These reforms are direct institutional responses to coalition-era instability.
Current Status (as of June 2026)
The 2024 general election restored full-fledged coalition dependence at the Centre. The BJP won 240 seats, short of the 272 majority mark, while the NDA together secured 293 seats; the opposition INDIA bloc won 234, with the Congress at 99 (Election Commission results, June 2024). Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third consecutive term on 9 June 2024, relying on key allies such as the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United). This marks a shift from the single-party-majority years of 2014 and 2019.
UPSC Angle
The concept connects multiple themes: parliamentary government, the President's discretion in inviting a leader to form government, federalism and regional parties, and the working of the anti-defection law. Analytically, it raises the tension between stability and accountability — coalitions can dilute decisiveness but strengthen consensus, regional representation and cooperative federalism. Aspirants should be able to date-anchor the alliances and amendments precisely, as factual confusion (e.g., National Front vs United Front) is a common error.
