Electoral Participation among the Adivasi Community

Discussing the variations in electoral participation and party preferences of adivasis, a subject that has received scant attention so far, this article points out that it is erroneous to treat the adivasi vote as a homogeneous block. As with other communities, adivasis also display a remarkable heterogeneity in their voter turnout and party preferences. Focusing on adivasis in the north-east and central India, it examines regional differences in the adivasi voter turnout and their changing party preferences since the 2004 election.