The 2024 Parliamentary Elections in India: Nation, Region and Religion

This book provides an explanation and analysis of the 2024 national parliamentary elections in India. The elections of 2024 have raised many questions regarding India’s transition to democracy and its consolidation, and the exact nature of the ’national’ verdict, the role of religion, caste and regional identity in determining the outcome. We ask: is the state of Indian democracy a function of who wins an election, or of the electoral process, and its integrity?

By examining detailed state-based case studies and cross-cutting themes, the book highlights the democratic resilience of the Indian polity against the dominant narrative of democratic decline and backsliding. The chapters are written by eminent political scientists based in India and some younger researchers also based in India.

Harihar Bhattacharyya is a former Professor in the Department of Political Science, the University of Burdwan, India. He is recipient of Publius Distinguished Scholar Award in 2025.

Subrata Mitra is Emeritus Professor at Heidelberg University, Germany.