New Delhi, April 6 -- Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are going to the polls this month. These three states are dissimilar in many ways. But they are similar in that they have had unique sociopolitical paths from the time of India's independence. These paths are quite distinct from those followed by the other states of India.

After independence, the State Reorganization Commission enacted in 1956 set up these new states. Since then, in Tamil Nadu, the Congress Party ruled for the initial 10 years. For the remaining 59 years, non-Congress parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have ruled.

In West Bengal, the Congress ruled for the initial 20 years and non-Congress governm...