Indian Politics

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

1. Nehru Dynasty

Jawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi1947-1964 1966-1977 1984-1989

1980-1984

Congress Party

Manmohan Singh Sonja Gandhi Rahul GandhiPM President General Secretary

of the Party (one of nine)

Congress’ Ideology

• Secularism• Socialist economics 1947-1991• Economic Reform 1991-present• Manifesto for 2009 elections

Congress DominatesElection Year Seats for Congress Seats for Second Largest

Party1952 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)

Congress after Indira Gandhi

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

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

based parties

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

• Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism)

• RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)

1984 2

1989 88

1991 120

1996 160

1998 176

1999 182

Others• Leftist parties– Communist Party of India (Marxist)

• Regional parties– AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra

Kazhigam) regional party of Tamil Nadu state – Janata Dal (Secular) (Karnataka, Kerala)– Telugu Desam Party (Andrha Pradesh)– Samajwadi Party (Uttar Pradesh)

• Caste-based Parties– Bahujan Samaj Party

Why Did Congress Party Lose its Appeal?

• Nehru Dynasty over• Corruption

•1991 Economic Reforms

1947-1991Socialist Economic Policy

• Nationalization• National Planning Commission –

1950–Five Year Plans

• “Hindu Rate of Growth” -- 3.2%

1990s Economic Crisis

Political-Military Crisis 1989-90

The Reforms• Open up economy to foreign investment• Privatization• Ending government control of economy• Reduce government regulation• Export Processing Zones• Architect of reforms– Finance Minister Manmohan Singh

Economic Results (from BBC News: China and India, Key Facts;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/guides/456900/456964/html/nn3page1.stma)

Political Results

• 1996 Election

Party 1991 Seats 1996 Seats

Congress 225 136

BJP 119 160

BJP Constituency

• Elites who benefit from government policy• Government employees• Business protected by the government• Poor who live off government assistance• Anti-affirmative action groups• Hindu nationalists

1996 Election

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

• National Front forms government

1998

BJP forms governmentNational Democratic Alliance (15 parties)

PM A. B. Vajpayee 1998-2004

Indian nuclear testsMay 1998

1998 Election

• BJP 176 • Congress Party 140• United Front 97

21st Century: Congress Regroups

Sonia 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

Challenges and Developments

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

Dynasty?

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. Congress and the Nehru Dynasty

Liberhan Commission ReportNarendra ModiChief Minister of Gujarat