Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
In the 2004 parliamentary elections in India, no single national party was able to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own. As a result, three major alliances were formed — the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and the Left Front. Each alliance brought together national and State parties under a common banner to contest the elections. Since 1996, nearly every State party has had an opportunity to participate in a national-level coalition government. This trend has continued to shape the nature of governance at the Centre.
(i) What is meant by a 'coalition government'? (1 mark)
(ii) Why were national parties compelled to form alliances with State parties after 1996? (1 mark)
(iii) How has the rise of coalition governments contributed to both federalism and democracy in India? (2 marks)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:20 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) A coalition government is a government formed by an alliance of two or more political parties, usually when no single party wins a majority on its own in the legislature.
(ii) After 1996, no single national party was able to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own. Therefore, national parties were compelled to form alliances with State parties to gain enough seats to form a government.
(iii) The rise of coalition governments has strengthened federalism by giving State parties a share in national-level decision-making, ensuring regional interests are represented at the Centre. It has also strengthened democracy by making governance more inclusive and diverse, as nearly every State party has had an opportunity to participate in a national-level coalition government since 1996.
Source: Political Parties, Chapter 4 — State parties section
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Explanation
- (i) One clear sentence defining coalition = 1 mark. Key words: "alliance," "two or more parties," "no majority."
- (ii) The textbook gives one direct reason — no national party could win majority alone — so one sentence suffices for 1 mark.
- (iii) For 2 marks, examiners expect two distinct points: one on federalism (regional/State representation) and one on democracy (inclusivity, diversity). Use the textbook's exact language — "strengthening of federalism and democracy" — to signal you are drawing from the source. Avoid padding.