Summary of this article

During Congress’s dominance, criminals worked as hired agents for the party, providing money and muscle in exchange for protection and patronage. As political fragmentation increased after the 1960s, the loss of assured power made these arrangements unstable, prompting criminals to seek direct entry into politics to safeguard their interests.

Criminals entered electoral politics primarily to shield themselves from state prosecution and rival gangs. Political office provided them with informal immunity and the means to manipulate state machinery, allowing them to delay or evade justice while consolidating power.

Once criminals began contesting elections, many aligned with political parties rather than remaining independents, leveraging party networks, symbols, and

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