Lok Sabha Elections in India 2024
Mutual Embeddedness of State and National Politics
Editors: A.K. Verma · K.C. Suri · Vikas Tripathi | Publisher: Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur
About the Book
The verdict of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections cannot be understood merely from New Delhi. Nor can it be explained solely through the politics of individual states. This landmark volume demonstrates how India's electoral democracy is shaped by the continuous interaction between national narratives and state-level political realities. Bringing together contributions from a distinguished group of scholars, researchers, and political analysts from across India, the book offers a rare state-by-state examination of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Covering virtually the entire country, it presents one of the most comprehensive academic assessments of the election ever published.
The volume argues that India's democracy is simultaneously nationally integrated and regionally segmented. The 2024 Lok Sabha election vividly demonstrates this dual reality, making this book an essential resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of contemporary Indian politics.
Why This Book Matters
- Comprehensive coverage of nearly all Indian states and regions
- Contributions from a diverse group of experts with deep regional knowledge
- Extensive election statistics and data tables
- State-wise analyses of voting behaviour, party competition, electoral alliances, leadership, caste dynamics, welfare politics, and federal processes
- A rich Statistical Appendix for researchers, journalists, students, and policy analysts
- A rare intellectual effort to understand how national and state-level politics continuously shape and influence one another
Editors
A.K. Verma
Director, Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur. Taught politics at Christ Church College, Kanpur for about 40 years. Specialises in UP politics. Invited by Harvard University (2008) to explain his theory of "Social Osmosis and Reverse Social Osmosis." Author of several books; contributor to NCERT textbook "The Indian Constitution at Work." Editor of research journal "Shodharthy." Written for The Hindu, Indian Express, Economic Times, Deccan Herald, New Indian Express, Swaraj, and Dainik Jagran. Has trained top leaders of National Political Parties and appears on TV channels as political analyst. Recently published: A Grammar of Professional Politics: Enter Politics, Win Elections and its Hindi edition.
K.C. Suri
Professor of Political Science at Nagarjuna University, Guntur (AP) and later at University of Hyderabad. Published on public policies in India, India's party system, elections and voting behaviour, and Indian democracy. Editor of the Indian Journal of Political Science (2001–02). Visiting researcher at International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Stockholm, Sweden; Endeavour visiting fellow at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia; DAAD Professor at South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University, Germany.
Vikas Tripathi
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Gauhati University, Guwahati. Contributed to Economic and Political Weekly and Studies in Indian Politics. Opinion pieces in The Hindu, The Economic Times, The Assam Tribune, and Daily O. Research focuses on electoral politics, Hindu Nationalism, and political leadership in Assam. Areas of research include electoral politics, Hindu Nationalism, and the Parliament and Cabinet in India. Presently working on women's representation in Legislative Assembly and Urban Local Bodies of Assam.
Contributors
This volume brings together 33 distinguished scholars, researchers, and political analysts from leading institutions across India and abroad, each contributing deep regional expertise to the state-by-state analysis of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Senior Scholars & International Contributors
- Subrata K. Mitra — Emeritus Professor, Heidelberg University, Germany; former Director, ISAS, National University of Singapore
- Rahul Verma — Associate Professor, Shiv Nadar University, Chennai; Fellow, Centre for Policy Research (CPR), New Delhi; PhD, UC Berkeley
- Asish Ranjan — Co-founder, Data Action Lab for Emerging Societies (DALES); consultant, NDTV Group; former Fellow, Delhi Assembly Research Centre
- Atul Kumar Pandey — Election researcher; expertise in political consultancy and socio-political surveys
- Ramesh K. Madaan — Political scientist, national advisor, and academic leader; advocate of constitutional values and democratic reform
- K. Gireesan — Head, Dept. of Public Administration, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Chandigarh; former Director, MIT School of Government, Pune
- Gurpreet Chaudhary — Assistant Professor, Public Administration, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Chandigarh; presented at UNFCCC COP29
- Arunima Deka — OKD Institute of Social Change and Development, Guwahati; research on gender, identity politics, and Northeast India
- Ramesh K. Chauhan — Retired Professor, Political Science, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla (June 2024); 30+ years of teaching and research; former CSDS State Coordinator
- Bharti Sharma — Assistant Professor, Graphic Era University, Dehradun; Deputy Director, HRDC; State Coordinator, Lokniti-CSDS for Uttarakhand
- M.M. Semwal — Senior Professor, HNB Garhwal University, Uttarakhand; 34 years of experience; "Teacher of the Year 2021" award by CM of Uttarakhand
- Arvind Singh Rawat — PhD, HNB Garhwal University; specializes in disaster risk management and post-disaster recovery in Uttarakhand
- Vidushi Dobhal Naithani — Senior Research Fellow, HNB Garhwal University; specializes in well-being and sustainable development in the Himalaya
Regional & Emerging Scholars
- Sanjay Kumar — Head, Political Science, Yuveraj Dutta PG College, Lakhimpur-Kheri; National Coordinator, CSSP Kanpur; 29 years of teaching
- Dharmendra Pratap Srivastava — Assistant Director (Academic), CSSP; Editor, Indian Journal of Society and Politics since 2014
- Harsh Meena — Assistant Professor, Pondicherry University; State Coordinator, CSDS-Lokniti for Puducherry
- Yatindra Singh Sisodia — Professor & Director, MP Institute of Social Science Research, Ujjain; Professor G. Ram Reddy Social Scientist Award (2017)
- Sheshmanee Sahoo — PhD Scholar, JNU, New Delhi; UGC-JRF recipient; research on electoral politics and nationalist politics
- Abhay Kumar — Political consultant (IPSOS, CSDS); political analyst with All India Radio, Patna
- Angarag Sandilya — Assistant Professor, JDSG College, Assam; doctoral candidate, Gauhati University; UGC-JRF recipient
- R.K. Satapathy — Retired Professor, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong; former Honorary Director, ICSSR-NERC
- Pratip Chattopadhyay — Associate Professor, University of Kalyani, West Bengal; 15 years of teaching; specialization in Indian Foreign Policy
- Jilly Sarkar — Political Science, Cotton University, Guwahati; MA, M.Phil., PhD from JNU; former faculty, National Defence Academy, Pune
- Amongla N. Jamir — Associate Professor, Dimapur Government College, Nagaland; research on electoral politics and tribal-ethnic structure
- Jyotish Kalita — Assistant Professor, Government Model Degree College, Baghbar; PhD student, Gauhati University
- Dhruba Pratim Sharma — Political Science, Gauhati University; co-editor, Administrative History of Undivided Assam (1826–1947)
- Rupak Kumar — Assistant Professor, VIT Vellore; author, Making of the Parliamentary Opposition in India (Routledge, 2025)
- Vignesh Karthik KR — Postdoctoral Fellow, Royal Netherlands Institute (KITLV); PhD, King's College London; author, The Dravidian Pathway
- G. Gopa Kumar — Former Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kerala; senior political scientist; noted psephologist on Kerala politics
- Sandhya Chaturvedi — 34+ years of experience in teaching, institutional leadership, and research
- Manisha Madhava — Professor & Head, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai; former Rajya Sabha Fellow; four ICSSR Major Research Projects
- Nawoo Varak — Assistant Professor, Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Goa; PhD, Goa University
- Prachi Naik — Assistant Professor, Goa University; research on identity politics and election studies
- Sarthak Bagchi — Doctoral Fellow, Leiden University; research on political mobilization and party-voter linkages across six Indian states
Table of Contents
The volume comprises 27 chapters organized into thematic sections, covering virtually every Indian state and region. The opening chapters establish the conceptual framework of mutual embeddedness, followed by detailed state-by-state analyses, and concluding with broader thematic reflections on coalition politics, identity, and democratic governance in contemporary India.
Opening Chapters & Northern States
- India Votes as a Union of States: Mutual Embeddedness in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections — K.C. Suri, Vikas Tripathi, A.K. Verma
- India's 2024 General Election: Continuity and Change — K.C. Suri, Subrata Mitra, Rahul Verma
- Delhi: Class Alliances, and the Capital Vote — Ashish Ranjan, Atul Kumar Pandey
- Haryana: Prosperity Did Not Diminish Identity Politics — Ramesh K. Madaan
- Punjab: Decoding The Process and the Outcome — K. Gireesan, Gurpreet Choudhary
- Jammu and Kashmir: Emerging Political Alignments — Arunima Deka
- Himachal Pradesh: Decoding BJP's Hat-trick — Ramesh K. Chauhan, Bharti Sharma
- Uttarakhand: Shifts and Stability in Electoral Politics — M.M. Semwal, Arvind Singh Rawat, Vidushi Dobhal Naithani
- Uttar Pradesh: Transition From Identity Politics to Inclusive Politics — A.K. Verma, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Pratap Srivastava
- Rajasthan: Verdict of Tradition and Transition — Harsh Meena
- Madhya Pradesh: BJP's Unprecedented Ascendancy — Yatindra Singh Sisodia
- Chhattisgarh: A Surprise Setback for the Congress — Sheshmanee Sahu
Eastern, Northeastern & Southern States
- Bihar: NDA Dominates INDIA Bloc in Social-Political Engineering — Abhay Kumar
- Jharkhand: NDA in Troubled Waters — Angarag Sandilya
- Odisha: BJP Springs a Surprise — R.K. Satapathy
- West Bengal: Understanding Variations and Volatility — Pratip Chattopadhyay
- North East India: The Dialectics of BJP's Dominance — Jilly Sarkar, Vikas Tripathi
- Nagaland: Political Competition in a Changing Context — Amongla N. Jamir
- Assam: Testing the Limits of BJP Dominant System — Vikas Tripathi, Jyotish Kalita, Dhruba Pratim Sharma
- Telangana: Reshaping State's Electoral Landscape — Rupak Kumar
- Andhra Pradesh: Welfare Benefits Alone Do Not Deliver Electoral Victory — K.C. Suri
- Tamil Nadu: Resilience and Transformation in Dravidian Politics — Vignesh Karthik KR
- Kerala: Multi-Polar Alliances and Changing Trends of Coalition Politics — G. Gopa Kumar
- Karnataka: Dual Logic of Voting Preferences and the Shifting Balance of Party Strengths — Sandhya Chaturvedi
- Goa: Prioritising Social-Political Identity over Governance — Nawoo Varak, Prachi Naik
- Maharashtra: Leadership, Legacy and Competing Claims of Representation — Manisha Madhava
- Gujarat: The Continuance of BJP Dominance — Sarthak Bagchi
Themes Covered
Federal Dynamics
How state elections influence national outcomes and vice versa — the core thesis of mutual embeddedness that underpins every chapter of this volume.
Coalition Politics
The role of regional parties in shaping the formation and stability of national governments, with particular attention to the NDA and I.N.D.I.A. bloc dynamics.
Caste, Religion & Identity
Identity politics as a decisive factor in voter mobilisation and electoral outcomes across diverse social and religious landscapes of India.
Digital Campaigning
The impact of social media, WhatsApp politics, and digital outreach on the 2024 campaign — a defining feature of this election cycle.
Women & Youth Voters
Emerging voter demographics and their transformative effect on electoral calculus, with special attention to women's representation and youth participation.
Opposition Unity
The I.N.D.I.A. bloc's strategy, challenges, and its impact on the national electoral landscape — analyzed through state-level evidence and comparative perspectives.
Book Highlights
Comprehensive Coverage
State-by-state analysis covering nearly all Indian states and regions — one of the most geographically complete academic assessments of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections ever published.
Diverse Expert Contributors
Contributions from a distinguished group of scholars, researchers, and political analysts from across India, each bringing deep regional knowledge and academic expertise.
Extensive Election Data
Extensive election statistics and data tables throughout, supplemented by a rich Statistical Appendix designed for researchers, journalists, students, and policy analysts.
Mutual Embeddedness Framework
A rare intellectual effort to understand how national and state-level politics continuously shape and influence one another — moving beyond conventional binary explanations.
Book Launch
The book launch event brought together scholars, political analysts, and academic leaders to celebrate this landmark publication on India's 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The event featured discussions on the central theme of mutual embeddedness and the significance of state-level analysis in understanding national electoral outcomes.
Gallery
Visual documentation from the book launch event and related academic activities surrounding the publication of this volume.
Reviews & Endorsements
"An insightful contribution to understanding contemporary state politics, showing how national integration and regional segmentation enable pluralism to flourish and constantly redefine the federal character of India's democracy."
— Sudha Pai, Former Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU, New Delhi
"Nationally integrated and regionally 'segmented'—that is how this book felicitously sums up the larger perspective within which the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are analyzed. Well worth being widely read."
— Ashutosh Varshney, Sol Goldman Professor, Watson School of IPA, Department of Political Science, Brown University, USA
"This volume skillfully integrates the multi-layered electoral canvas of the Indian nation and its constituent states and significantly enriches our conceptual and concrete understanding of India's realpolitik."
— Pralay Kanungo, Institute for Area Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
"This outstanding volume offers a state-by-state account of the results, providing a nuanced and textured portrait of a consequential election."
— Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
"Using an innovative framework of 'mutual embeddedness,' the volume goes beyond the conventional binary between national and state-centric explanations. This collection offers fresh insights into the interplay of national and subnational factors that shaped the 2024 verdict."
— K.K. Kailash, Professor of Political Science, University of Hyderabad
"An exhaustive analysis of the 2024 Indian general elections that covers all the states. The volume is alive to both the national perspective and the local nuances of the elections."
— Ronojoy Sen, Senior Research Fellow, ISAS, National University of Singapore
"By focusing on the reciprocal embeddedness of national and regional factors, this evidence-rich and insightful volume reminds us that national factors only go so far in explaining electoral outcomes and that states do not function in isolation from their larger political environment."
— Gilles Verniers, CERI, Sciences Po, Paris, France
"A must-read for scholars of democracy worldwide. The volume breaks conceptual ground by moving to the vantage point of the 'middle,' avoiding the pitfalls of a monolithic national gaze as well as a hyperlocal view."
— Manisha Priyam, Sir Louis Matheson Distinguished Visiting Professor, Monash University, Australia
Media Coverage
Contributors to this volume have been featured across leading national and international media platforms, bringing the book's insights to wider public audiences. Editors and chapter authors have contributed opinion pieces and analysis to The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Economic Times, Economic and Political Weekly, Deccan Herald, New Indian Express, Dainik Jagran, Swaraj, The Assam Tribune, Daily O, The Navhind Times, The Goan Everyday, Lokmat, TheWire.in, Frontline Magazine, Times of India, India Today, The Quint, Governance Now, Rashtriya Sahara, and The Washington Post. Contributors have also appeared on television channels as political analysts and regularly deliver talks at academic and public forums.
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Citation Information
Verma, A.K., Suri, K.C. & Tripathi, V. (Eds.) (2024). Lok Sabha Elections in India 2024: Mutual Embeddedness of State and National Politics. New Delhi: Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP).
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FAQs
What is the central argument of this book?
The book argues that India's democracy is simultaneously nationally integrated and regionally segmented. The 2024 Lok Sabha election demonstrates how national narratives and state-level political realities continuously shape and influence one another — a framework the editors call "mutual embeddedness."
How many states are covered in this volume?
The book provides state-by-state analysis covering virtually the entire country, with dedicated chapters on nearly all Indian states and regions — making it one of the most geographically comprehensive academic assessments of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections ever published.
Who are the intended readers of this book?
The book is essential reading for political science students and researchers, journalists and election analysts, policy makers and public representatives, university libraries and research institutions, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections and contemporary Indian politics.
Does the book include election data and statistics?
Yes. The volume includes extensive election statistics and data tables throughout, along with a rich Statistical Appendix specifically designed for researchers, journalists, students, and policy analysts.
How can I purchase or access this book?
The book is available in Hardcover (₹1,950) and Paperback (₹1,350) editions. Pre-booking is available for advance orders. Institutional access and bulk orders can be arranged by contacting CSSP directly at [email protected] or +91-11-9140552409.
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UGC-approved international journal of social and political research, edited by Dharmendra Pratap Srivastava since 2014.
About CSSP
Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur
CSSP is a premier research institution dedicated to understanding how national and state-level politics interact in India's democracy, electoral politics, and social movements. Through rigorous scholarship and public engagement, CSSP contributes to deeper insights into India's evolving political landscape.
This volume — Lok Sabha Elections in India 2024: Mutual Embeddedness of State and National Politics — is a significant addition to the literature on Indian elections, federalism, and democratic politics. CSSP continues to produce high-quality academic research through its journals, books, and training programs for scholars, political leaders, and policy analysts across India.
Under the leadership of Director A.K. Verma, CSSP has established itself as a leading center for electoral studies and political analysis, with a particular focus on Uttar Pradesh politics and the broader dynamics of Indian federalism.
Contact CSSP
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +91-11-9140552409
Address: Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur, India
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