Mafia Raj

Special issue: electoral fraud and manipulation in India and Pakistan

“…Based on the research presented in the various contributions, we emphasise the various ways in which violence, and the mere threat and rumour of it, shape elections in South Asia. This is particularly relevant given the reported rise of criminal politicians in the region (Michelutti et al, 2018 ;Vaishnav, 2017). Recent works have detailed the importance of bosses and their henchmen in extracting economic resources and in establishing political careers.…”

“…To obtain these funds, they approach powerful businessmen, sell party tickets to the highest bidders, extort money from citizens through the police and gangsters, and tap into black markets in drugs and liquor (Vaishnav, 2017). In many cases, industrialists have become politicians and politicians have become wealthy businessmen, illustrating how politics and capital accumulation tend to go together (Harriss-White & Michelutti, 2019;Michelutti et al, 2018;Vaishnav, 2017). In recent years, scholars have also begun gathering information that is more detailed on how politicians access different moneyed networks to fund their campaigns (Kapur & Vaishnav, 2018).…”

“…It has also been argued that even though Indian politics are often characterised as 'dirty' (Ruud, 2001), elections have nevertheless been broadly free and fair thanks to the efforts of the Indian Electoral Commission (see Banerjee, 2014). At the same time, however, research illustrates a tightening link between criminals, business and politicians (Jaffrelot, 2002;Michelutti et al, 2018;Vaishnav, 2017). However, we know little about how electoral processes in India are affected by the corruption, criminality and violence that pervade the political sphere.…”

Allies among Enemies: Political authority and party (dis)loyalty in Bangladesh

“…Much recent literature from South Asia has highlighted the profound disjuncture between normative visions of democratic politics and how it unfolds in practice, demonstrating that violence, criminality and patronage are integral to the functioning of democracy on the ground (Price and Ruud 2010;Piliavsky 2014;Gerharz and Pfaff-Czarnecka 2017;Vaishnav 2017;Jackman 2018aJackman , 2018bKlem and Suykens 2018;Michelutti et al 2018). With this has come a new academic vocabulary, with terms such as 'goonda', 'mafia', 'bosses' and 'godfather' increasingly used to denote the prevalence of muscular and criminal forms of politics in the region (Piliavsky 2014;Jackman 2018a;Michelutti et al 2018;Klem and Suykens 2018). This responds in part to the political vernacular on the sub-continent, where many such terms are commonly used, as well as to a perception that the region's politics is becoming increasingly criminalized.…”

“…This article tells the story behind this scene to examine a central theme within political analysis from South Asia and beyond: the character of political authority. Recent literature has illuminated the criminal and coercive character this often takes in the region (Piliavsky 2014;Vaishnav 2017;Jackman 2018aJackman , 2018bMichelutti et al 2018), where political 'bosses' resemble 'godfather', and rely on the skills of intimidation, violence and patronage for their career, built from a base of muscular cadre. At the same time, political leaders must also look up within the party hierarchy to build their career, crafting relationships with party seniors.…”