CHANGING PATTERN OF CASTE POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA

Abstract

Caste in Indian society refers to social group where membership is largely decide by birth. During 1990s there began a shift in caste politics. The continuation of one party system was composed mostly of upper caste leadership came to an end. This was partly due economic liberalization in India which reduce the control the state had on the economy and thus lower caste and partly due to an upsurge in caste based parties that made the politics of lower caste empowerment a central part of their political agenda.