Map 1.1 Location of Assam
1.6 Methodology of the Study
The present study undertaken for academic enquiry is based on qualitative method. Interview schedule and structured questionnaire are the principal tools for data collection during this research. Factionalism, though primarily a political phenomena has sociological interpretations also. Therefore, analytical rigour in methodology is avoided. For a comprehensive understanding of factionalism, both descriptive and empirical analysis is attempted. The factionalism in the AGP is studied in a historical context since its inception in 1985 till the present. Deductive method is applied to analyze the data collected from the field. At the same time, empirical data collected from Election Commission of India, of the elections in which the AGP participated, is also put to empirical test.
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Study of factionalism in the AGP which emerged out of a popular social movement is proved to be a difficult task. Besides, a long period of almost 30 years of its existence has been considered for the research. Again, this is the maiden attempt to understand factionalism in a multi-ethnic social setting in India. Therefore, any fragmentation of the research period would have been unsustainable. The research was conducted unearthing fresh data during the field study which were hitherto unavailable. Therefore, the study qualifies as ethnographic research. It was found to be extremely difficult to undertake a survey involving a large number of respondents selected purposively to test the hypotheses. The initial difficulties encountered were as follows:
a) Absence of proper record on the membership of the AGP.
b) As regards the leadership issue of the AGP, it was not possible to adopt one of the three models; namely, positional, decisional and reputational. Because of the fact that positional and decisional approaches are afflicted by intermixing of responsibilities and functional activities. The third one, that is reputational approach needs an extensive survey of the AGP supporters and followers, in order to ascertain who are the top leaders of the party according to their estimation. Such a survey could not be possible for a lone researcher.
Therefore, different categories of people, such as AGP leaders, intellectuals, media persons were interviewed in order to assess their views about the intra-party conflicts and bickering in the AGP. (A list of persons interviewed has been placed in Appendix I)
1.6.1 Sources and types of data
Both primary and secondary data concerning factional politics in the AGP comprised the crux of the research. The data on background of the AGP and its leadership is important to analyze factional behavior in the party. The leadership of
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the AGP is diverse and comes from nine different organizations that participated in the Assam Movement. These are the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), the Asom Jatiyatabadi Dal (AJD), the Asom Sahiyta Sabha, the Asom Yuba Samaj, the All Assam Tribal Youth Association, the All Assam Tribal Students Union (AATSU), the Purbanchaliya Loka Parishad (PLP) and the Guwahati Young Lawyer’s Forum. News published during Assam Movement and during the initial years of the first AGP government is very helpful to understand the roots of factionalism in the AGP.
Others important secondary data sources are:
News paper reports on internal politics of the AGP
News on the cabinet decisions when the party was in power Pamphlets, manifestos, party proceedings etc
scholarly articles, research papers, books published on electoral politics in Assam
Resources of the Library of Gauhati University, Library of ICHR-North- East, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Library of the Dibrugarh University and Central Library of JNU-New Delhi, the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi etc were of invaluable help.
INFLIBNET and N-List online resource of Dhakuakhana College library was used to access back issues of Economic and Political Weekly, Seminar, Social Scientists, Mainstream, etc.
The Library of Assam Legislative Assembly in Dispur was visited twice to see the Assembly debates during two terms of AGP government.
Some personal collections provided by well-wishers of the AGP had been very helpful in getting firsthand information about the trajectory of factional politics in the AGP
Collection of primary data for research on factional politics in a political party is a challenge. Because of the fact that factionalism is considered a taboo in the political circles in Assam. Therefore, the party statements, manifestos, resolutions, decisions on important issues are not made available for content analyses at the party
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headquarter. Some personal collections provided by well-wishers of the AGP have proved to be great source of firsthand information about the trajectory of factional politics in the AGP. Besides, extensive interviews are conducted with the help of uniformly structured interview schedules prepared separately for the AGP leaders, former AGP leaders, current and former MLAs and MPs. There separate interview schedule are prepared for interviewing the AGP well-wishers, academicians, journalists, literary persons of Assam who had been close to the AGP or has been an eye witness to the factional rivalry in the AGP. Interview with some well-known critics of the Assam Movement also constituted important source of primary data.
District and local level functionaries of the AGP are also important source of information on factional rivalry. When the top brass of a party become faction ridden it is local leadership and office bearers who keep the organization in grassroots intact. In order to understand the impact of factionalism on grass root organization of the AGP questionnaires were distributed to all District Presidents and Secretaries. For the district level AGP workers questionnaire scheduleare prepared containing objective type questions. Questions were set both in English and Assamese and sent by post to all District Presidents and Secretaries of the AGP. There are 27 District Committees of the party. The first part of the Questionnaire is framed to understand socio- economic background of the respondents and the second part is intended to elucidate information on internal factional conflict, internal democracy of the AGP and the perception of the AGP workers about party leadership and future prospects, etc.
1.6.2 Universe and field of study
As mentioned above, the AGP is the case study of this research. This political party operates only in Assam and recognized by the ECI as a regional political party. Its organizational branches percolate down to the district and the village levels.
Therefore, universe of the study is operational areas of the AGP in Assam. Its leaders, office bearers and members are the respondents for this research. In factional conflicts, the top leaders of a political party, who can exercise influence
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from the top to the bottom, are main players. However, the strength of a faction depends upon the magnitude of support the factional leader can garner from his followers. Obviously, the AGP leaders and workers who either actively participated in factional conflict or eye witness to it are interviewed for primary data. Factional alignment and core issues of factions within the AGP changed from time to time. Most of such news and incidents hit the local newspapers and became a point of intellectual debate in academia. Such academicians, journalists, intellectuals, literary persons were interviewed for valuable input for this ethnographic research. In a nutshell, the whole area of Assam where the AGP as regional political party functions is the field of research. The present leaders and former leaders of the AGP, current office bearers, well-wishers, civil society member forms the universe of this study. Total respondents who are contacted for this research are classified as follows.
Table: 1.1
Respondents of the study
Types of respondents Classification of respondents Respondents(Number)
AGP Leaders Sitting MLAs 7
Ex MLA & MPs 15
Ex AGP Leaders Members of other political party 3
Intellectuals & Civil Society member
Academicians 10
Literary Persons 3
Journalists 2
Well wishers 7
District and Local level AGP workers
Office bearers and members interviewed 8 Questionnaire sent by post (Assamese
version also)
52
Total 107
Grand Total: 107 (Hundred and seven)
The interview schedules prepared separately for the leaders and well-wishers of the AGP are attached as Appendix II and III questionnaire prepared for the District level office bearers of the AGP is attached as Appendix IV. But only a few of the TH-1788_09614110
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questionnaires have been filled up and returned by the District level office bearers of the party.