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Indian Politics. Nehru Dynasty 1947-1996 Years of Competition 1996-present Two Party System? Two Half Parties? Regional parties?. 1. Nehru Dynasty. Jawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi 1947-1964 1966-1977 1984-1989 1980-1984. Congress Party.
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Indian Politics • Nehru Dynasty 1947-1996 • Years of Competition 1996-present • Two Party System? • Two Half Parties? • Regional parties?
1. Nehru Dynasty Jawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi 1947-1964 1966-1977 1984-1989 1980-1984
Congress Party Manmohan Singh Sonja Gandhi Rahul Gandhi PM 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 after Indira Gandhi 1984-1989 1991-1996 Rajiv Gandhi P. V. N. Rao
2. Years of Competition Factors • 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)
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%
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
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 government National Democratic Alliance (15 parties) PM A. B. Vajpayee 1998-2004 Indian nuclear tests May 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 • Two parties or Two Half Parties • Regional parties • Can Congress get beyond the Dynasty?
1. Two parties or Two Half Parties? 272 (273) the magic number! Stability?
2. Regional Parties • 2009 LokSabha • 2 National parties • 1 semi-national party (CPI-M) with seats in four states • 39 Regional parties
Liberhan Commission Report Narendra Modi Chief Minister of Gujarat