Current Politics

1
Current Politics

• Congress years 1947-1996
• Years of Competition 1996-present
• Two Party System?
• Two Half Parties?
• Regional parties?

2
Nehru Dynasty

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

3
Congress Dominates
Election 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
4
Indira Gandhi
5
Congress (I)
6
1984 Golden Temple of Amritsar
7
Congress after Indira Gandhi

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

8
Years of Competition

• Factors
• End of Nehru Dynasty
• Economic reform
• Corruption in Congress
• Rise of regional, religious, caste-based parties
• Hindu Nationalism

9
BJP Results
Election BJP Congress
1971 0 372
1977 0 164
1980 13 377
1984 2 426
1989 89 195
1991 121 252
1996 160 136
10
1996 Election

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

11
Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

• Babri Mosque 16th Century
• Ayodhya Temple

12
Babri Mosque, December 6, 1992
13
Fallout of 1992

• 1992-1993 Riots
• Gujarat 2002
• Liberhan Commission Report
• Narendra Modi L. K. Advani
• Chief Minister of Gujarat President BJP

14
1998 Election

• BJP 176
• Congress Party 140
• United Front 97

15
1998

• BJP forms government
• National Democratic Alliance (15 parties)
• PM A. B. Vajpayee 1998-2004
• Indian nuclear tests
• May 1998

16
Congress Regroups

• Sonia Gandhi

17
1999 Election

• BJP 182
• Congress Party 112
• BJP/NDA remains in power

18
2004 Election

• BJP/NDA
• India Shining
• vs.
• Congress/United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
• It is a contest between the Congressand the BJP
  that is systematically undermining the very
  essence of Indian civilization and destroying the
  very idea of India.

19
2004 Election

• BJP 138
• Congress Party 145 (UPA 219)
• Left Parties 56
• UPA and Leftist parties form coalition
• PM Manmohan Singh

20
2009 Election

• BJP 116
• Congress Party 206
• UPA retains power
• PM Manmohan Singh

21
2014 Election
Party 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
22
BJP Back in Power

• Results

23
2014 Map
24
Growth under Modi
25
Challenges and Developments

1. Hindu Nationalism vs. Secular India
2. Regional parties
3. Can Congress get beyond the Dynasty?

26
1. Hindu Nationalism vs. Secular India

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

27
2. Regional Parties

• 2009 Lok Sabha
• 2 truly national parties
• 3 semi-national parties with seats in four states
• 35 Regional parties
• 2014 Lok Sabha
• 2 truly national parties
• 4 semi-national parties with seats in four states
• 31 Regional Parties

28
4. Congress and the Nehru Dynasty

• Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi