• Political parties in India have two key roles: articulating demands of the common people and capturing political power through legitimate means.

• Since the early twentieth century, Indian political parties have been hyperactive.

• In pre-Independence days, limited opportunities to hold power meant parties focused on highlighting exploitation under British rule and demanding complete independence.

• Initial political parties primarily fought for India’s independence.

• Successive Government of India Acts introduced political reforms, prompting parties to seek power at various government levels.

• Roots of the Indian party system trace back to the pre-Independence era, becoming prominent by the first decade of the twentieth century.

• Post-Independence, with parliamentary democracy, political parties became the primary instrument to operationalize democracy.

• Congress Party initially monopolized electoral gains in the first three general elections due to its role in independence and presence of stalwarts like Nehru, Patel, and Maulana Azad, leading scholars to term it the “Congress System”.

• Over time, Congress lost its grip on the electorate, losing power in several states and its Parliamentary majority reduced to marginal.

• The 1969 split in Congress into Congress (O) and Congress (I) ended the party’s monopolization of power.

• Emergence of multiple contenders led to a fresh wave of churning in the Indian party system, which remains ongoing.

• Contemporary Indian party system is characterized by a multi-party setup with coalition governments at the Centre and in many states.

EVOLUTION OF THE INDIAN PARTY SYSTEM

• Indian party system traces its lineage to pre-Independence times and took definite shape with the inauguration of parliamentary democracy under the Constitution of India.

• Congress emerged as the umbrella organization, representing predominantly the upper and middle classes, yet enjoying mass support by accommodating varied interests from capitalists like G.D. Birla to marginalized sections in the national struggle for independence.

• Communist parties provided a feeble alternative, critiquing Congress’s closeness to bourgeoisie interests, but failed to attract masses, leaving Congress as the epicentre of the party system under Nehru.

• Post-Independence, Congress dominated with close to 50% of popular votes, majority of parliamentary seats, and a fragmented opposition.

• Formation of Swatantra Party in 1959 sought a non-leftist alternative, yet Congress continued to dominate due to a homogeneous elite in authority and decision-making roles.

• Electoral success also owed to a locality-oriented pluralist model with complex factional and semi-political structures at grassroots, controlled by autonomous party elites at higher levels.

• Until the fourth general elections, Congress remained dominant, with opposition parties struggling to expose contradictions to emerge as a viable alternative.

• Decline of Congress began with 1962 Indo-China war defeat and the death of Nehru in 1964, losing the aura of the national movement.

• 1969 split in Congress challenged Indira Gandhi, who rejected consensus principle in favor of majoritarian principle.

• Indira Gandhi adopted populist measures to increase public support against conservative opposition elements.

• De-institutionalization of Congress occurred by replacing loyalists at state and constituency levels with officials and candidates having local knowledge and support.

• Unable to sustain government alone, Indira Gandhi relied on outside support from communists, who opportunistically supported her to accelerate radical economic measures.

• During 1967–71, Indian party system resembled a coalitional construct, where Congress’s preeminence was partially sustained by erstwhile opponents.

• This phase marked the decline of Congress dominance and the emergence of a chaotic multi-party system in India.

• Congress (I) victory in 1971 marked a return to dominance, with opposition parties largely decimated in Parliament.

• Indira Gandhi’s Congress mirrored Nehru’s era in centralizing power, but differed in nature; under her, the broad-based party role diminished, and during the Emergency, even the government was reduced to a caucus (Rajni Kothari).

• Post-fifth general elections, Indira Gandhi’s personality overshadowed Nehruvian stalwarts, establishing her as the central figure of Congress.

• Many opposition leaders were intimidated by Indira Gandhi’s electoral victories, reducing their ability to act as a formidable opposition.

• From 1973 onwards, public perception of Congress turned negative, enabling mass movements against Indira Gandhi’s government, notably in Gujarat and Bihar.

• Allahabad High Court decision against Indira Gandhi threatened her position, prompting the declaration of Emergency on 26 June 1975.

• Emergency involved suspension of political activities and repression, leading to a loss of public goodwill for Congress.

• The period of Emergency catalyzed a realignment of political forces, uniting opposition parties to challenge Congress and aim for the overthrow of the government at the earliest opportunity.