FACTORS INFLUENCING POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, AMONG SCHEDULED CASTES’ WOMEN OF UNNAO- U.P

The political awareness refers to one's knowledge about government policies and functioning of various political parties, awareness of current political issues and knowledge of organizational working and consequences of each party's victory in the elections for the country. Political awareness is said to be a pre-requisite of political development. Politically aware citizens make democracy work. After all, citizens should keep themselves posted about the political events taking place around them. The political participation is the actualization of the political awareness in behavioral terms. The participation of the people in matters related to politics and also their role and standard of loyalty are related to political development in the country. There are many forms of participation and democracy is the form of Government which encourages maximum political participation. The participation does not mean mere exercise of political rights, like Franchise, by the people. It means their active involvement which in a real manner influences the decision making activity of the Government. It refers to those voluntary activities by which members of a society share in the election of rulers, directly or indirectly, in the formation of public policy. Various activities regarding politics i.e. voting discussion, decision, voting preference, voting Pattern of family members, source of motivation for voting, use of conveyance on election day, views about Caste-meetings and follow their directives, and political satisfaction etc.