Cheap Talk on Food: Party Politics in India and the Challenge of Implementing the Right to Food

In electoral politics throughout the developing world, "cheap talk" on food is the norm. When political parties are outside of the governing majority, they tend to express a strong commitment to providing food for the poor. When in power, their commitment to fulfilling the right to food wanes. This tendency prevails regardless of party orientation. India is a case in point. This article draws on original datasets and interview data to demonstrate the role that interest group and regional party dynamics play in perpetuating cheap talk on food in India, and the implications for fulfillment of the right to food there and beyond.