ABSTRACT
In the third decade of the 21st century, the trajectory of Indian federalism seems to be taking a new direction. A review of the working of Indian federalism in the past few decades points out to a few select trends: the democratic process has gained deeper roots and there is a clear expansion of the democratic space, there is sharper and more focused electoral competition, the impact of coalition on the working of parliamentary federal democracy is unmistakably visible, a transformation in the nature of party competition/politics is clearly evident and at the nucleus of all this change is the emerging centrality of the role of the States in the Indian federal/political process. The chapter would look at the changing contours of Indian federalism through the prism of politics and party competition. The states of the Indian federal system are clearly occupying the centre-stage when it comes to political decisions across the country. They are clearly on account of a clear assertion of ‘state rights’ and an authentic reflection of the reality of political developments.
