Why do Northeastern Regional Parties need the help of National Parties?

By: Vikiesa Yano

India is a diverse nation with numerous ethnicities and religions all brought together under a politically drawn country.

Race, ethnicity and religions play a huge role in Indian politics. Because of this, the national political parties have a rather hard time winning against regional political parties in certain states, especially states with a minority population.

This is because the national parties have an identity that relates it to a religion or race or ideology that the minorities do not necessarily identify with.

Therefore, during the state elections, the regional parties usually win over the national parties. The citizens of a minority state have a feeling of belonging to a regional party more than they do to a mainstream national party like Congress or BJP, which have to appeal to a vast majority which in India are the Hindu-Aryan population. Their narrative has to appeal to the majority and thus cannot appeal to the minorities.

The popularity and allegiance of one group of people is all a regional party needs to win a state election, but in order to run and manage a state a huge sum of cash is required and the money comes from the capital in mainland India where the national parties rule.

Thus, poor backward states with no industries to generate revenue rely on the help of the central government.

In this case if a regional party does not maintain a good relationship with the ruling party in the center and takes up the role of an opposition: that party would have a hard time running a government.

Ultimately, it all boils down to the economics of staying in power and managing a state. If a regional party can stay in power manage a state government and have enough resources to win a campaign for the next election without the help of the national party, they would not form alliances.