About the Book

The book encapsulates the intense political activity of the year 1999 that culminated into mid-term elections bringing back Vajpayee-led NDA to power after it lost confidence by just one vote in the 12th Lok Sabha. It analyses the factors that led to the fall of the Vajpayee government, describes the machinations to put up an alternative government and the fracture in the Congress party caused by dissensions on the issue of Sonia Gandhi’s leadership. It meticulously reconstructs the pre-election political scenario that was coloured by the controversies surrounding Sonia and Kargil crisis, and narrates the major events and happenings of the entire election process. Maintaining the objectivity of social science research, the book reports on the various prophecies and compares them with the actual outcome of voting. The book concludes with author’s critical commentary on the emerging political profile. Written to document the entire election process to better appreciate the dynamics of India’s political culture, this book is addressed to those interested in Indian politics, provides useful leads for further investigation and research, and raises issues for debate and discussion.

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Contents

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About the Author / Editor

An internationally acclaimed sociologist, Yogesh Atal (b. 9 October 1937) retired from UNESCO after 23 years of service as Principal Director of Social Sciences. He taught at universities of Saugar, Punjab, and Agra, and at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi before joining the ICSSR as its Research Director in 1972. Upon return from UNESCO he served as Director-General of the Indian Institute of Education, Pune. A pioneer in election studies in India, Professor Atal has extensively written on caste, nation-building, communication, poverty, and social development. Given the accolade, Man of the Year 1990 by the American Biographical Institute, he is also recipient of the Maharana Mewar Foundation Award, the Albert Einstein International Academy Foundation’s Cross of Merit, and Plaque of Gratitude from the Korean government for his contribution to Asian social sciences.

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