Suchergebnisse

REGIONAL COOPERATION AMONG SOUTH ASIAN NATIONS WAS INSTITUTIONALIZED WITH THE FORMATION OF SAARC ON DECEMBER 8, 1985. THE HEADS OF THE SEVEN SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES AGREED THAT SAARC WOULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ACCELERATING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTING NATIONAL AND COLLECTIVE SELF-RELIANCE, AND FURTHERING THE CAUSE OF PEACE, PROGRESS, AND STABILITY IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD. BUT SINCE THE BEGINNING SAARC HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY TENSIONS FROM WITHIN. POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, RELIGIOUS, AND ETHNIC FACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THESE TENSIONS.

AS A RESULT OF THE EVOLUTION OF ELECTORAL POLITICS, TWO MAJOR FRONTS HAVE EMERGED IN KERALA: THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT LED BY THE CONGRESS (I) PARTY AND THE LEFT DEMOCRATIC FRONT LED BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST). THESE FRONTS HAVE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BEEN PLAGUED BY INTER-PARTY AND INTRA-PARTY RIVALRIES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN THE FALL OF MINISTRIES LONG BEFORE THEIR NORMAL TERM COULD BE COMPLETED. THE YEARS 1957, 1967, 1977, AND 1987 WERE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THE ELECTORAL HISTORY OF KERALA. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHOR FOCUSES ON THE BACKGROUND TO THE 1987 ELECTION AND ITS RESULTS.