Current Politics

1. Congress years 1947-19962. Years of Competition 1996-present– Two Party System?– Two Half Parties?– Regional parties?

Nehru DynastyJawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi PM 1947-64 PM 1966-77, 80-84

Congress DominatesElection Year Seats for Congress Seats for Second Largest

Party

1952 364 16

1957 371 27

1962 361 29

1967 283 44

1971 352 44

1977 (lost power) 154 298 (Janata Party alliance)

1980 353 35

1984 415 30

1989 (lost power) 197 143

1991 (formed coalition) 226 120

Indira Gandhi

Congress (I)

1984 Golden Temple of Amritsar

Congress after Indira Gandhi

1984-1989 1991-1996Rajiv Gandhi P. V. N. Rao

Years of CompetitionFactors• End of Nehru Dynasty• Economic reform• Corruption in Congress• Rise of regional, religious, caste-

based parties

1996 Election

• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 160 • Congress Party 136• National Front 110

• National Front forms government

1998 Election

• BJP 176 • Congress Party 140• United Front 97

1998

BJP forms governmentNational Democratic Alliance (15 parties)

PM A. B. Vajpayee 1998-2004

Indian nuclear testsMay 1998

Congress RegroupsSonia Gandhi

1999 Election

• BJP 182 • Congress Party 112

• BJP/NDA remains in power

2004 Election

BJP/NDA“India Shining”

vs. Congress/United Progressive

Alliance (UPA)

“It is a contest between the Congress…and the BJP that is systematically undermining the very essence of Indian civilization

and destroying the very idea of India.” 2004 Election Manifesto

2004 Election• BJP 138• Congress Party 145 (UPA 219)• Left Parties 56

UPA and Leftist parties form coalition

PM Manmohan Singh

2009 Election• BJP 116• Congress Party 206

UPA retains power

PM Manmohan Singh

2014 ElectionParty Seats

BJP 276

Congress 44

AIADMK (Tamil Nadu) 37

AITC (West Bengal) 34

BJD (Odisha) 20

SHS (Maharashtra) 16

TDP (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana)) 16

TRS (Telangana) 11

CPM 9

YRSP (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana) 9

BJP Back in Power• Results• Map of results

But New Delhi Election 2015

• Aam Aadmi Party• Arvind Kejriwal

Party Seats (70 total)

Aam Aadmi Party 67

BJP 3

Challenges and Developments

1. Two parties or Two Half Parties2. Regional parties3. Religion and Politics4. Can Congress get beyond the

Dynasty?5. Celebrity and Corruption

1. Two parties or Two Half Parties?

272 (273) the magic number!Stability?

Party Congress BJP1991 226 1191996 136 1601998 140 1761999 112 1822004 145 1382009 206 116

2. Regional Parties

• 2009 Lok Sabha

• 2 National parties• 1 semi-national party (CPI-M) with seats in

four states• 39 Regional parties

3. Religion and Politics

BJP History• Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism)• RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)• Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World

Hindu Council)

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

• Babri Mosque 16th Century• Ayodhya Temple

Babri Mosque, December 6, 1992

Fallout of 1992• 1992-1993 Riots• Gujarat 2002• Liberhan Commission ReportNarendra Modi L. K. AdvaniChief Minister of Gujarat President BJP

4. Congress and the Nehru Dynasty

5. Celebrity and Corruption

Jayalalitha of Tamil Nadu