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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
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)
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
1998BJP 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• 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
Growth under Modi
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
But Delhi Election Assembly Election 2015
• Aam Aadmi Party• Arvind Kejriwal
Party Seats (70 total)
Aam Aadmi Party 67
BJP 3
But Delhi Municipal Elections 2017
Aam Aadmi 47
BJP 184
Congress 29
Others 10
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 truly national parties•3 semi-national parties with seats in four states•35 Regional parties2014 Lok Sabha•2 truly national parties•4 semi-national parties with seats in four states•31 Regional Parties
3. Religion and Politics
BJP History• Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism)• RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)• Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World
Hindu Council)
4. Congress and the Nehru Dynasty
5. Celebrity and Corruption
Jayalalitha of Tamil Nadu