CIVIL society groups have always been engaged in mainstream politics in one way or another, albeit at its margins. Rarely have such groups been credited with making a difference to the outcome of elections to state legislatures. In the erstwhile united state of Andhra Pradesh I was witness over the years to the activism of civil society groups, popularly referred to as non-government organisations (NGOs) and to their eventual frustration in not being able to make a difference on an electoral platform. Mainstream political parties either ignored them or regarded them as hostile entities to unite and work against. . .
