Abstract
Being the largest democracy in the world, India has adopted the parliamentary system of government and party politics. Therefore, general elections are the most significant political events in India, which deserves to be observed closely. Although Indian National Congress (INC) won the 2004 and 2009 general elections, the one-party dominant system under the Congress does not reign India today. Instead, the two general elections have once again revealed that India has entered into the phase of coalition politics. In addition, the post-2004 Indian politics has been characterised by the challenges from localism, politicization of religious identity and the revival of Nehru-Gandhi family's rule. These developments and trends have shaped Indian politics since 2004.