The growing number of regional parties has shifted the emphasis of Indian politics. Caste and ethnic issues, always important, have become even more central to Indian elections.
Some of the key regional parties which fought these elections include the Samajwadi Party, the AIADMK and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
The Samajwadi Party has a strong presence in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. Its support base is made up of lower-caste Hindus and Muslims. Despite forecasts which suggested a drop in support for the party, the Samajwadi Party performed strongly in these elections, winning 26 parliamentary seats. It is now re-established as a powerful regional party which could hold the key to elections to UP's state legislature, which are due shortly.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal is headed by Laloo Prasad Yadav and has a strong base in Bihar, one of India's poorest states. However, the party performed disastrously in these elections with Laloo Yadav being defeated in his own parliamentary seat. It remains to be seen if the party's support base of lower-caste Hindus and Muslims will back it in elections to the Bihar state legislature which are due early next year.
The AIADMK is based in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and has its roots in the Dravidian movement promoting Tamil identity. It was part of the ruling BJP coalition until it broke away in April. Led by the mercurial Jayalalitha, it did not perform strongly in these elections, and was reduced to 12 seats from 18 in the last parliament.
