Challenge of Political Succession
- Nehru’s death in 1964 generated a lot of speculation about the question of succession. The 1960s were labelled as the ‘dangerous decade’ due to many challenges and unsolved problems like poverty, inequality, communal and regional divisions etc.
- After the death of Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, and became India’s next Prime Minister.
- During Shastri tenure from 1964 to 1966 the country faced two major challenges: –
- Serious food crisis because of failed monsoon and droughts,
- And Economic crisis because of War with Pakistan in 1965.
- Shastri’s famous slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ symbolized the country’s resolve to face both these challenges.
- After sudden death of Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966 there was an intense competition between Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi for succession.
- Indira Gandhi was backed by senior party leaders. The contest was resolved through a secret ballot among Congress MPs.
- Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai and a peaceful transition of power was seen as a sign of maturity of India’s democracy.
Fourth General Elections, 1967
- The year 1967 is considered as a landmark year in India’s political and electoral history.
- Two Prime Ministers had died in quick succession, and the new Prime Minister, who was being seen as a political novice, had been in office for less than a year.
- One of the first decisions of the Indira Gandhi government was to devaluate the Indian rupee, under what was seen to be pressure from the US. Earlier one US dollar could be purchased for less than Rs. 5; after devaluation it cost more than Rs. 7.
- In prevailing political environment, the economic situation triggered off price rise. People started protesting against the increase in prices of essential commodities, food scarcity etc.
- The communist and socialist parties launched struggles for great equality.
- 1960s also witnessed some of the worst Hindu-Muslim riots since Independence.
Non-Congressism
- Opposition parties were in the forefront of organizing public protests and pressurizing the government.
- These opposition parties felt that the inexperience of Indira Gandhi and the internal factionalism within the Congress provided them an opportunity to topple the Congress.
- The socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia gave this strategy the name of Non-Congressism’.
Electoral Verdict
- The fourth general elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies were held in February 1967. The Congress was facing the electorate for the first time without Nehru.
- The results jolted the Congress at both the national and state levels, and it was termed as ‘political earthquake’.
- Half the ministers in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet were defeated. The political stalwarts who lost in their constituencies included Kamaraj in Tamil Nadu, S.K. Patil in Maharashtra, Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal and K. B. Sahay in Bihar.
- The Congress lost majority in as many as seven States. In two other States defections prevented it from forming a government. These nine States where the Congress lost power were spread across the country: – Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Madras and Kerala.
- In Madras State (now called Tamil Nadu), a regional party — the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) came to power by securing a clear majority.
Coalitions
- The elections of 1967 brought into picture the phenomenon of coalitions.
- Since no single party had got majority, various non-congress parties came together to form joint legislative parties (called Samyukt Vidhayak Dal in Hindi) that supported non-congress governments.
- That is why these governments came to be described as SVD governments.
Defection
Defection means an elected representative leaves the party on whose symbol he/she elected and joins another party. The constant realignments and shifting political loyalties in this period gave rise to the expression ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram’.
Split in the Congress
After 1967 elections Congress saw split due to various differences.
Indira vs. the ‘Syndicate’
- Syndicate was a group of powerful and influential leaders from within the Congress.
- These leaders expected Indira Gandhi to follow their advice. Gradually, however, Indira Gandhi attempted to assert her position within the government and the party.
- Indira Gandhi faced two challenges from syndicate
- To build her independence from the syndicate.
- To work towards regaining the ground that the Congress had lost in the 1967 elections.
Presidential Election, 1969
- The factional rivalry between the Syndicate and Indira Gandhi was clearly visible when the post of President of India was vacated in 1969 after the death of Zakir Hussain.
- Syndicate supported official candidate of the Congress N. Sanjeeva Reddy while Indira Gandhi supported V. V. Giri as the candidate for the President of India.
- Indira Gandhi announced the nationalization of fourteen leading private banks and the abolition of the ‘privy purse’.
- Morarji Desai was the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. On both the above issues serious differences emerged between him and the Prime Minister resulting in Desai leaving the government.
- The defeat of official Congress candidate formalized the split in the party.
The 1971 Election and Restoration of Congress
The Indira Gandhi’s Government recommended the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in December 1970 and the fifth general elections to the Lok Sabha were held in February 1971.
The Contest
- In 1971 election, all the major non-communist, non-congress opposition parties formed an electoral alliance known as the Grand Alliance.
- Indira Gandhi said that the opposition alliance had only one common programme Indira Hatao, in contrast she put forward a positive programme captured in the famous slogan Garibi Hatao.
- This Slogan and the programmes that followed it were part of Indira Gandhi’s political strategy of building an independent nationwide political support base.
The Outcome and After Effect
- The results of the 1971 Lok Sabha elections were dramatic as the Congress (R) – CPI alliance won more seats and votes than the Congress had ever won in the first four general elections.
- They combine won 375 seats in Lok Sabha and secured 48.4 percent votes. Indira Gandhi’s Congress (R) won 352 seats with about 44 per cent of the popular votes on its own.
- The Grand Alliance of the opposition proved a grand failure. Their combined tally of seats was less than 40.
Restoration
- Indira Gandhi in many ways had re-invented the party. Now, it was a new Congress that had emerged.
- While the Congress consolidated its position and Indira Gandhi assumed a position of unprecedented political authority, the spaces for democratic expression of people’s aspirations actually shrank.
- The popular unrest and mobilization around issues of development and economic deprivation continued to grow.
WORDS THAT MATTER
- Defection: An elected representative who leaves the Party on whose symbol, he is elected and joins another party.
- Non-Congression: Non-Congress parties along with their different programmes and ideologies together to form anti-Congress fronts.
- Congress (O): Congress led by syndicated also known as Old Congress, i.e. Congress (organisation).
- Congress (R): It was led by Indira Gandhi and known as New Congress, i.e. Congress (Requisitionists).
- Grand alliance: It was major electoral alliance formed by major parties like SSP, PSP, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party and Bharatiya Kranti Dal to form a United front.
- Syndicate: A group of powerful and influential leaders from within the Congress.
- Ten Point Programme: Adopted by Indira Gandhi in 1967 to regain ground for Congress including social control of banks, land reforms etc.
- Devaluation: To reduce the rate at which money can be exchanged for foreign money.
- Political Earthquake: The electoral verdict of fourth general election in 1967 which jolted the Congress at both the national and state levels.
📚 Why NCERT Solutions for Class 12th Political Science ✨
Political Science is not just about learning story or writing essays—it’s about developing an appreciation for stories, poems, and ideas. 🌈 Our solutions help students understand moral lessons, improve reading comprehension, and build their vocabulary. 📖 Each chapter’s summary and answers are explained in a way that’s easy to follow, making exam preparation a breeze! 🌟
Clear Your Doubts with CBSEJanta.com 🔍
Visit CBSEJanta.com to access detailed solutions for every chapter in your Class 12 Political Science textbook! 📚 These solutions not only help you answer questions but also enhance your overall understanding of stories and grammar concepts. 💡
Download Our App for Easy Access 📱
Want to study on the go? 🚀 Download our app for instant access to Class 12 Political Science NCERT solutions, practice questions, and much more! Whether at home or traveling, you can easily prepare for your exams and boost your English skills with CBSEJanta.com. 🌍
Always Thinks for Students ❤️
“Excel in Class 12th Political Science with CBSEJanta.com! 🌟 Get FREE NCERT solutions for Honeysuckle and A Pact with the Sun. Visit CBSEJanta.com now or download our app for instant access to solutions and extra practice!” 📲