Coalition Government
The Politics of Alliance & Accommodation
PART I — THE FOUNDATION
THE MANIFESTO
Common Minimum Programme
- When parties with different ideologies form a government, they draft a **Common Minimum Programme (CMP)**.
- It outlines the shared governance agenda while explicitly sidelining highly contentious, party-specific ideological issues.
- Acts as the binding contract of the coalition (e.g., UPA's National Common Minimum Programme in 2004).
POWER SHARING
Cabinet Composition
- The PM's prerogative to choose ministers is severely restricted.
- Allies demand representation in the Cabinet strictly proportional to the number of MPs they bring to the alliance.
- "Plum portfolios" (Railways, Finance, Home) are often aggressively negotiated and conceded to keep the coalition intact.
PART II — STEERING & SURVIVAL
EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT
Coordination Committees
- Coalitions often form "Coordination Committees" outside the formal Cabinet structure to resolve disputes between allies.
- These extra-constitutional bodies (like the National Advisory Council) sometimes wield immense power, occasionally undermining the absolute authority of the PM and Cabinet.
THE VULNERABILITY
Stability vs Compromise
- **Pro:** Highly representative. Forces consensus and prevents legislative authoritarianism by a single party.
- **Con:** **"Coalition Dharma"** — Regional allies often use the threat of withdrawing support to extract economic packages or halt tough but necessary national reforms, leading to policy paralysis.
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