The national elections are on us. The schedule has been declared and the political parties have begun their jousting. This is a good time to get share statistics and other nuggets of information.

The process is simple – The Lok Sabha or the lower house of parliament has 543 seats. The President of India invites the leader of the party that has the single largest majority to form the government. If that party has a simple majority of 272 seats the process is simple – otherwise you see the unseemly sport of horse-trading where backroom deals are cut, money exchanged and ministerial portfolios traded to cobble together a alliance or a coalition.

But for the last two governments – coalitions have had a sordid parliamentary history. However the NDA & the UPA have changed that … and we are gearing up to expect one more coalition. Whic will be the party around which this coalition will be made? This will unfold as the elections progress. While we observe & study the process I shall try to put together facts that would usually not be found in one place. Keep watching this space.