Horse-trading in politics refers to the practice of negotiation and bargaining where political parties or politicians make deals, often involving compromises or exchanges of support, to achieve mutual advantages such as forming a government or passing legislation. It frequently involves trading votes or poaching members from rival parties, especially in situations where no party has a clear majority. This term carries a connotation of informal, secretive, and sometimes unethical dealings, akin to the original meaning related to buying and selling horses where dishonesty was common due to difficulty in evaluating the horses' true value

. More specifically, political horse-trading is often seen during hung assemblies or closely contested elections, where parties engage in "vote trading" or persuading members of other parties to switch allegiance, sometimes through incentives like money or government positions. This practice is widely viewed as a form of political maneuvering that can undermine democratic ideals but is also recognized as a pragmatic aspect of political strategy in many democracies, including India

. In summary, horse-trading in politics means:

• Complex bargaining or negotiation to gain political advantage.
• Often involves vote trading or party-switching.
• Seen as informal, secretive, and sometimes unethical.
• Common in situations of fractured mandates or hung parliaments.

This metaphor originates from the historical reputation of horse dealers as shrewd and sometimes dishonest traders, which was extended to political negotiations