Identities of Democratic Politics in India: Role of Opposition

Identity in a democratic polity refers to the existing characteristics, nature, and practices. Identity formation is a collective and normative process of people's interaction in a democratic polity. The presence and functioning of all basic elements in a democratic polity play a crucial role in identity formation. The healthy level of involvement and participation of citizens in the democratic process and institutions is a key indicator of identity formation. Strong and healthy functioning of democratic and constitutional institutions enhances the process of identity formation in a democratic polity.

Identities in a democratic polity are generally divided into three categories: democratic, constitutional, and civilian. Secularism is an identity of democratic polity; majority rule is an identity of constitutional government; and peaceful election or government formation is a civilian identity in a democratic polity. Democracy is a systematic process of decision-making and a peaceful means of conflict resolution.

Opposition is a core identity of a democratic polity. It is a minimum requirement for the functioning of a democratic polity. Opposition is not only an alternative to the government but also a counter opinion of people on the government. The qualitative structure and functioning of the opposition are fundamental requirements in identity formation. Opposition is the shadow identity of the government in a democratic polity.

The main aim of the proposed paper is to analyze the role of opposition in a democratic polity. The core objective of the paper is to emphasize the importance of opposition in identity formation. The paper is based on content analysis of the publications on opposition in India. A mixed methodology will be used for this study. The study seeks to provide answers to important questions related to the identity of a democratic polity and the role of opposition in it.