The parliamentary elections of 1999-India's last elections in the 20th century-serve as a useful prism through which to examine the changing nature of Indian politics, both at the state and national levels, since independence in 1947. Bringing together reputed scholars from around the world, this volume describes and explains many facets of India's current political landscape-in particular, the recent emergence of a complex multi-party system at the national level. Each chapter is rich in both empirical analysis and election data culled from primary sources.