ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses the question of whether foreign policy issues played any role in the conduct and outcome of the Ninth General Election. It identifies a number of candidates: Possible Pakistani involvement in the Punjab and Kashmir crises, Sri Lanka and the Indian Peace Keeping Force, the relationship between foreign indebtedness and inflation, illegal immigration from Bangladesh, India's relations with China and Nepal. The book argues that the nature of local support bases, as critically important as they are to political success, vary considerably. It discusses that seat adjustments were "vitally important," given the findings that emerged from his definition of what he calls an "effective seat adjustment." The book shows that manipulation via the media can be a two-edged sword, as Rajiv Gandhi's ultimate political fate attests, and presents a dramatic new development in the conduct of Indian elections.
