Coalition Rituals and the Fragility of Democratic Credibility: Regime Survival in Subnational India

This article introduces the concept of perpetual coalitionism to explain subnational politics in Meghalaya, India, where no party has secured a legislative majority since 1972. It argues that coalitions function not as temporary tactical alliances but as enduring regimes sustained by elite consensus, ethnic arithmetic and performative legitimacy. Using electoral and legislative records across four phases from 1972 to 2023, the study shows how coalition endurance detached from ideology or mandate produces stability without accountability. By introducing the concept of performed credibility, the article situates coalition rituals within broader debates on legitimacy and institutional drift.