Regional Political Parties and Coalition Government of Odisha | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

The state of Odisha, previously Orissa had had a chequered Political history before its inception as a separate state in the year 1936. The objective of the study is to find out reasons for the emergence of regional political parties in Orissa and to find out different coalitions Governments in Odisha during the period of 1959 to 2009. This study is based on secondary data. The Political history of Orissa after its formation in 1936 was full of hectic politicking which also created an atmosphere of political uncertainty and the germination of coalition government in Orissa. It also paved the way for the formation of a new culture of regional political parties in Orissa. The post Independent Orissa politics has been more interesting and eventful. During the period from 1951-52 to 2014 there has been 23 chiefministers with fourteen Assembly elections. Except the Orissa Assembly election held in 1961, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1995 and 2009 in other elections no party secured absolute majority. The coalition government were formed in Odisha in 1959, 1967, 1971, 2000 and 2004. It is significant and pertinent that the first coalition government, formed in the state was of the congress and Ganatantra Parisada in 1959, the second of the Swatantra-Jana Congress in 1967, the third of the Swatantra, Utkal Congress and Jharkhand in 1971, and the Biju Janata Dal and the BJP in 2000 and 2004.