Democratic Process and Electoral Politics in Andhra Pradesh, India

read the draft and gave their comments. The queries from Ms Rachel Bishop, editor for ODI, were extremely helpful in identifying certain gaps and refining the style of the text. v Glossary Andhra Kesari Literally, 'Lion of Andhra'; name given to the legendary Tanguturi Prakasam, leader of a Congress Party faction and founder of the Praja Party Amma Mother Anicuts Irrigation systems Anna Elder brother Arrack Cheap liquor, distilled usually from molasses Bahujans Literally, 'the underprivileged multitude'. The concept includes people who belong to backward castes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities. It is now mostly used by the BSP and refers to dalits Bandh Total strikes Benami Fictitious names Bhiksha Alms Crore A unit of ten million (10,000,000) Dalit A member of the caste of Harijans or 'untouchables'; in Sanskrit, 'depressed' Dalit Maha Saba A socio-political organisation of the dalits Deepam Light Desam Land, nation Dharma Yuddham A war for justice Dharna Sit-in strike Dwijas Twice-born castes Garibi Hatao Banish poverty Gram Village Gram Panchayat Village Council Grama Sachivalayam Village Secretariat Jagirdari System A type of land revenue system in Mughal India and later in Nizam's Hyderabad State, in which the jagirdar was technically the holder of an assignment of revenue Jagirdars, Muktedars and Deshmukhs Feudatory chiefs Jai Congress, Jai Telengana Victory to the Congress, victory to Telengana Janmabhoomi Programme A people-centred participatory development process Kapunadu Conference of the Kapus Karnam Village officer in charge of land records (Andhra region) Kshamaseema Literally, 'stalking ground of famines' Lakh A unit of one-hundred thousand (100,000) Lathi A long heavy wooden stick used as a weapon Lok Sabha The lower chamber of India's Parliament; in Hindi, 'people's assembly' Mahanadu The TDP annual conference Mahila Bank Women's bank Mandal Territorial and administrative unit (with a population of about 50,000 to 70,000) between the village and district levels Mandal Parishad Intermediate level council in the Panchayati Raj system, made up of the heads of the Panchayats and representatives of the territorial constituencies (MPTCs) within the Mandal Swarnandhrapradesh Golden Andhra Pradesh vi Munsif Village headman (Andhra region) Paligars Chiefs of large territories until the early 19 th century, found mostly in the southern region of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh Panchayat An institution of self-government for the rural areas Panchayati Raj System of local rural self-government with a three-tier structure, the units being the village, mandal and district councils Panchayati Samithi A middle-level unit of rural …