This book examines electoral politics in the state of Punjab, India as it has evolved since the colonial period. It underlines the emergence of the state as a singular unit for electoral analysis in the last three decades. It will be of great interest to researchers of politics, especially comparative politics and political institutions.

1. Introduction: Framing State Level Electoral Politics 2. Punjab Politics in Comparative Perspective 3. Politics of Colonial Punjab 4. Politics of Punjab after Partition 5. Assembly Elections in Punjab: 1997-2017 6. Lok Sabha Elections in Punjab: 1999-2019 7. Conclusion: Looking Ahead

Ashutosh Kumar is Professor at the Department of Political Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He has been associated with the Lokniti Network, CSDS, Delhi, India as state coordinator for Punjab. He was previously visiting faculty at the University of Tampere, Finland; Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, Paris, France. His research centers around state politics, with a focus on the issues related to elections, identities and development. He is the editor of Rethinking State Politics in India (2011) and co-editor of Globalisation and Politics of Identity in India (2008) and How India Votes: A State-by-state Look (2019). He has also published extensively in various international journals such as India Review, EPW, South Asia Research, Japanese Journal of Political Science, Asian Ethnicity, International Journal of Punjab Studies, Journal of Sikh & Punjab Studies and Journal of Asian and African Studies, among others.