Growing consensus

After decades of intense competition and frequent conflict, Indian politics has settled on a surprising amount of common ground. Most major political parties, despite their fierce rivalry, now agree on four fundamental issues. This is not a formal alliance or a written document, but a practical, working consensus that shapes how the country is governed.

First, there is broad support for the new economic policies. While many social movements and trade unions oppose liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation, almost all major political parties back them. The reasoning is simple: most parties believe these policies are the only way to make India prosperous and turn it into a major economic power on the world stage.

Second, the political and social claims of the backward castes are now accepted by everyone. This is a major shift. All political parties now support reservation for the 'backward classes' in education and government jobs. More than that, parties are actively willing to ensure that Other Backward Classes (OBCs) get an adequate share of political power. The old debate about whether reservations are justified is over; the consensus is that they are necessary.

Third, the old distinction between 'national' and 'state-level' parties has become almost meaningless. State parties are no longer seen as merely regional players. Over the last twenty years, they have shared power at the national level and played a central role in forming governments. They are now accepted as equal partners in running the country.

Fourth, pragmatism has replaced ideology as the driving force of politics. Coalition politics has forced parties to focus on power-sharing arrangements rather than on ideological purity. The most striking example is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA): most of its constituent parties did not agree with the BJP's 'Hindutva' ideology. Yet, they came together to form a government and stayed in power for a full term. Political alliances are now based on what works, not on what is ideologically consistent.

These four points represent a momentous change. Indian politics has moved from the era of Congress dominance to a period of intense competition, but that competition now operates within a clear, implicit agreement among the main actors.