Changing Electoral Politics in Delhi: From Caste to Class

Changing Electoral Politics in Delhi is an in-depth analysis of voting patterns of voters in Delhi. Rapid immigration has changed the social profile of Delhi s voters who seemed to vote more on class lines than caste as witnessed in many states.
During Partition, the city had witnessed large-scale migration from Pakistan. Recent decades have also witnessed an influx of people to Delhi from various states. Subsequently, the demographic profile of Delhi has changed with a sizeable majority of migrants in many assembly constituencies. This transformation has a distinct impact on the electoral politics.
Since Delhi attracts people from various states and regions, it has resulted in a cosmopolitan culture. As compared to the past, class differences have become sharper now, reflected not only by people s perception and attitude regarding various issues, but also when it comes to voting. By using first-hand survey data of a cross section of voters, the author demonstrates the voting patterns of the last four assembly elections and illustrates how class is more important than caste in Delhi s politics today.