ABSTRACT
This report does three things: First, it allows students of Indian society and politics to connect the seemingly contingent processes obtaining around elections when citizens make political choices within the confines of available menu of candidates and parties but also make those political choices within a much broader context of how their political and social attitudes are shaped between two elections. Second, the report draws attention to key features of public opinion that might be more durable and form the basis for politics in the coming decade. Third, by identifying state-level patterns, the report significantly contributes to the field of comparative study of politics and public opinion across the states of India. High public trust in political institutions that guard against constitutional breaches, indicates the huge burden institutions will have to carry in sustaining and strengthening democracy. Two decades down the line, India’s democracy appears to be facing fundamental questions about its nature, reach, and impact.
