We, the Parties by Aradhya Sethia goes beneath the surface of Indian politics to examine the labyrinthine relationship between the Constitution, democracy, political parties and the law—the ‘system’ that enables this weird and wonderful world.
About We, the Parties
Political parties occupy an uneasy place in Indian democracy. They often manipulate, distort and even subvert constitutional processes; they divide citizens, polarize societies and undermine individual citizens and their representatives. And yet it is precisely this power grab by parties that makes the Indian Constitution meaningful. While the Constitution was written in the name of ‘the People’, it is sustained by the parties.
We, the Parties asks why the original Indian Constitution said nothing about political parties; what role they should play; what, if anything, makes them desirable; how the Constitution shapes party politics and how parties shape the workings of the Constitution; what kinds of parties India needs and what is wrong with the ones it has; and finally what can be done to reform them.
Published under the India Viking imprint of Penguin Random House India, this 328-page book is scheduled for November 2026 with an India MRP of ₹799. Essential for readers of constitutional law, Indian politics and democratic reform.
