Political parties, electoral competition, government expenditures and economic reform in India

Political analysis of economic policy‐making in India has tended to downplay the role of political parties while stressing the influence of classes and the state. This article reports the results of an attempt to understand policy‐making in India in terms of political parties and their electoral concerns. The analysis will illustrate the extent to which changing patterns of government expenditures can be understood as a result of the emergence of electoral competition to the Congress party. This focus on political parties will also offer an additional perspective on the ability of the ruling party in India to undertake the economic reform necessary for sustained economic growth.