Explaining policy success using the multiple streams framework: Political success despite programmatic failure of the solar energy policy in Gujarat, India

Although many scholars have studied policy success and failure, the relationship of these phenomena to the policy process – essential for an explanatory or anticipatory analysis – remains unclear. I address this gap by linking the policy success heuristic with the multiple streams framework (MSF) and developing hypotheses to explain outcomes. I apply this conceptualization to the case of the solar energy policy in Gujarat, India by combining a qualitative policy assessment with a process trace of policy-making. The findings show that the conflicted process success and the programmatic failure resulted largely from a top-down push for a policy without a problem. This push, nevertheless, led to political success that was sustained by re-coupling problem and politics through agenda denial, blame avoidance, and credit claiming. I conclude with implications for the research on policy evaluation, the MSF, and policy studies as well as the governance of a sustainable energy transition.