What Happens When the Same Party Governs Both the Center and the State?

Neeraj Kaushal, Professor at Columbia University

In recent years the BJP has regularly used the slogan ‘double engine government’. But legal experts argue that this slogan weakens the federal structure of the Indian polity. This indicates that it is not in the interest of the people of the state if there are governments from different parties at the Center and the state.

Of course, this slogan can be interpreted in various ways, but its general meaning is that when the ruling parties at the Center and the State have different ideologies, then coordination between them remains weak. The widespread use of this slogan raises two questions.

First, is the claim true that states whose people elect the party in power at the center experience faster economic growth and better governance? Second, has this slogan succeeded in bringing BJP back to power?

The answer to the first question is ‘no’, and the answer to the second is ‘yes’ in some polls. Let’s start with the first question and answer it in the context of some recent assembly elections. The BJP-led NDA came back to power in Bihar last year and Assam this year.

According to the logic of ‘double engine government’, both the states should have emerged as marvels of rapid economic progress. But this did not happen. Both the states are at the lowest rungs of the country’s economic ladder. Bihar’s per capita income is the lowest in the country, while Assam’s per capita income is the fourth lowest among large states. Even in terms of good governance, these states cannot be considered ideal.

On the other hand, BJP has never ruled Kerala or Tamil Nadu. According to the logic of the ‘double engine government’, both states should have been in a bad state economically. On the contrary, both the states are among the leading states in the country in terms of per capita income and Tamil Nadu is also considered one of the best governed states.

Also, there have been frequent reports that states ruled by opposition parties face problems in participating in centrally sponsored schemes. For example, during the Trinamool regime in Bengal, the state was deprived of the benefits of MNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana from 2022. The Center canceled both these schemes based on allegations of widespread corruption, financial irregularities and failure to comply with central directions.

Although these allegations may not be completely untrue, the funds were not canceled despite similar irregularities in other states. This action in Bengal indicates political vendetta. Similarly, the Center had frozen over Rs 2000 crore in School Education Fund under Samagra Shiksha for Tamil Nadu.

It was alleged that Tamil Nadu has not complied with the provisions of the National Education Policy and the PMShree scheme. In short, having the same party government at the Center and the state does not lead to economic development, but the Center is found to adopt a more liberal attitude towards those states where its own party is in power. Now second question. Does this slogan bring votes to the ruling party?

Lokniti-CSDS conducted 22 surveys between 2014 and 2022, in which respondents were asked whether they believed that for development it is necessary that the ruling party at the Center and the state be the same? In 5 out of 22 surveys, the number of respondents who strongly disagreed with this statement outweighed those who agreed; Whereas in the remaining 17 it was the opposite. At the time of the surveys, the BJP or its allies were in power in four states.

But after the elections BJP and its allies came to power in 12 states. BJP lost power in two states. The bottom line is that this slogan may help BJP win the elections, but there is no evidence of it bringing economic prosperity in the states which choose BJP by following this slogan.

(These are the author’s own views)

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