Class 12 Political Science Notes Chapter 5 (Challenges to and restoration of the congress system) – Political Science-II Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 5, "Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System." This is a crucial period in India's political history, marking a transition from the era of one-party dominance to a more competitive, though eventually re-centered, political landscape. Pay close attention, as understanding these dynamics is vital for your exams.

Chapter 5: Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System - Detailed Notes

1. The Context: End of an Era

• Nehru's Death (May 1964): Marked the end of the initial phase of post-independence politics. Raised serious questions about India's democratic future and the succession process within the Congress party. Many international observers doubted if democracy would survive in India after Nehru.
• Challenge of Political Succession: The smooth transition after Nehru's death defied pessimistic predictions.

2. From Nehru to Shastri

• Smooth Transition: Congress President K. Kamaraj consulted party MPs and leaders, leading to a consensus in favour of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
• Shastri's Prime Ministership (1964-1966):
  • Faced two major crises:
    • Economic Crisis: Food shortages, droughts, rising prices. Dependence on US food aid (PL-480). Slogan: "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" emphasized the importance of soldiers and farmers.
    • Indo-Pak War (1965): Showcased Shastri's firm leadership.
  • Tashkent Agreement (January 1966): Peace agreement signed between India and Pakistan in Tashkent (then USSR).
  • Shastri's Sudden Death (January 1966): Died in Tashkent, reopening the question of succession.

3. From Shastri to Indira Gandhi

• Contest for Leadership: This time, the succession was contested between Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi.
• Role of the 'Syndicate': A group of powerful and influential Congress leaders (including K. Kamaraj, S.K. Patil, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, Atulya Ghosh) played a decisive role. They backed Indira Gandhi, believing she would be amenable to their guidance.
• Indira Gandhi's Victory: She defeated Morarji Desai in a secret ballot among Congress MPs, becoming the Prime Minister in 1966.
• Initial Challenges: Indira Gandhi was initially seen as inexperienced. The Syndicate expected to control her, but she gradually asserted her authority. The period leading up to the 1967 elections was difficult, marked by economic strain.

4. The Fourth General Elections (1967): A Political Earthquake

• Context:
  • Economic Discontent: Severe droughts, food shortages, decline in agricultural production, devaluation of the rupee (under US pressure), rising inflation, unemployment.
  • Political Disillusionment: Growing perception of Congress arrogance and internal factionalism.
  • Popular Protests: Frequent bandhs and hartals across the country.
  • Non-Congressism: Strategy articulated by socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, arguing that Congress rule was undemocratic and detrimental to ordinary people. He advocated for all non-Congress parties to unite to oust Congress.
• Results:
  • Lok Sabha: Congress retained a majority but with its lowest-ever tally of seats (283) and vote share.
  • State Assemblies: Congress lost power in nine states (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Madras, Kerala). This was a major setback.
  • Prominent Losers: Many senior Congress leaders, including K. Kamaraj (Tamil Nadu), S.K. Patil (Maharashtra), Atulya Ghosh (West Bengal), and K.B. Sahay (Bihar), lost their seats.
• Significance: Termed a 'political earthquake'. Marked the end of unchallenged Congress dominance. Showcased the vibrancy of multi-party democracy.

5. Coalitions and the Phenomenon of Defection

• Era of Coalitions: Since no single non-Congress party secured a majority in the states where Congress lost, coalition governments were formed.
• Samyukta Vidhayak Dal (SVD): These non-Congress coalition governments in North Indian states were called SVDs. They comprised diverse parties with differing ideologies (e.g., SSP, PSP, Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, regional parties), often united only by their opposition to Congress.
• Defection: The 1967 elections saw a rise in defections – elected representatives leaving the party on whose ticket they won to join another party, often for political office or monetary gain.
  • Led to instability and the fall of several state governments.
  • The expression "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram" originated during this period, referring to a Haryana MLA named Gaya Lal who changed parties thrice in a fortnight.

6. Split in the Congress (1969)

• Background: Growing rift between Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate.
  • Indira's Assertion: She sought to regain ground lost in 1967 by adopting a more pro-poor, left-leaning stance, challenging the Syndicate's control.
  • Syndicate's Resistance: They viewed her moves as a challenge to their authority and the established party structure.
• Key Issues:
  • Presidential Election (1969): Following President Zakir Husain's death.
    • The Syndicate nominated N. Sanjeeva Reddy (then Lok Sabha Speaker) as the official Congress candidate.
    • Indira Gandhi was unhappy; she encouraged the then Vice-President V.V. Giri to contest as an independent candidate.
    • She called for a 'conscience vote' among Congress MPs and MLAs, implicitly asking them to vote for Giri.
    • V.V. Giri won the election, defeating the official Congress candidate. This was a direct blow to the Syndicate's prestige.
  • Ideological Differences & Policy Measures:
    • Indira Gandhi pushed for populist measures like Bank Nationalisation (14 major private banks nationalised in 1969) and the Abolition of Privy Purses (payments guaranteed to former rulers of princely states).
    • These were opposed by Morarji Desai (who resigned as Finance Minister over bank nationalisation) and the Syndicate, who saw them as undermining private property and fiscal discipline.
• The Formal Split:
  • The Congress President (S. Nijalingappa, part of the Syndicate) expelled Indira Gandhi from the party for indiscipline (due to her actions in the Presidential election).
  • The Congress party formally split in November 1969.
    • Congress (O): Organisation/Old Congress, led by the Syndicate.
    • Congress (R): Requisitionists/New Congress, led by Indira Gandhi. Claimed to be the 'real' Congress representing socialist principles.

7. The 1971 General Elections and the Restoration of Congress

• Context: Indira Gandhi's government lost its majority after the split but survived with support from parties like the DMK and CPI. She recommended the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in December 1970 to seek a fresh mandate.
• The Campaign:
  • Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan): Major non-communist, non-Congress opposition parties (Congress-O, Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, SSP) formed an alliance against Indira Gandhi. Their slogan was "Indira Hatao" (Remove Indira).
  • Indira Gandhi's Campaign (Congress-R): Focused on a positive agenda with the famous slogan "Garibi Hatao" (Remove Poverty). She presented the election as a choice between forces of progress (herself) and forces of status quo (Grand Alliance). She highlighted her pro-poor policies.
• Results:
  • Landslide Victory for Congress (R): Won 352 seats in the Lok Sabha. The combined strength of Congress (R) and CPI reached 375.
  • Poor Performance of Grand Alliance: The alliance proved ineffective, winning less than 40 seats combined. Congress (O) was decimated.
• Factors for Victory:
  • Indira Gandhi's charismatic leadership and direct connect with the masses.
  • Resonance of the 'Garibi Hatao' slogan and pro-poor policies.
  • Weakness and lack of a cohesive alternative vision from the Grand Alliance.
  • Support from marginalized sections: poor, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, and women.
  • Note: The victory was further consolidated by India's decisive win in the Bangladesh Liberation War later in 1971, enhancing Indira Gandhi's image.

8. Nature of the Restored Congress System

• Dominance Restored: Congress dominance was re-established, seemingly stronger than before.
• Changed Nature:
  • Centralization of Power: The 'new' Congress was heavily dependent on the supreme leadership of Indira Gandhi. Party organization weakened, and state leaders had less autonomy.
  • Shift in Social Base: While retaining its broad coalition character, the new Congress relied more heavily on the support of the poor, minorities, Dalits, and Adivasis.
  • Ideological Shift: More pronounced socialist and pro-poor orientation compared to the earlier Congress.
  • Weakening of Internal Democracy: The accommodative, faction-balancing character of the earlier Congress system diminished. Power became concentrated at the top.

Conclusion:

The period from 1964 to 1971 witnessed profound challenges to the Congress system – leadership transitions, electoral setbacks, internal splits, and the rise of coalition politics. However, under Indira Gandhi's leadership, the Congress adapted, adopted a populist platform, overcame internal and external challenges, and achieved a dramatic restoration of its dominant position in the 1971 elections, albeit transforming the nature of the party system itself.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Who became the Prime Minister of India immediately after Jawaharlal Nehru's death in 1964?
   a) Indira Gandhi
   b) Morarji Desai
   c) Lal Bahadur Shastri
   d) K. Kamaraj
   Answer: (c)

2. The slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" is associated with which Indian Prime Minister?
   a) Jawaharlal Nehru
   b) Lal Bahadur Shastri
   c) Indira Gandhi
   d) Morarji Desai
   Answer: (b)

3. The term 'Syndicate' in the context of the Congress party referred to:
   a) A group of young, radical leaders
   b) A coalition of opposition parties
   c) An informal group of powerful, senior Congress leaders
   d) The intelligence wing of the party
   Answer: (c)

4. The results of which General Elections were described as a 'political earthquake' due to significant losses for the Congress party?
   a) 1957
   b) 1962
   c) 1967
   d) 1971
   Answer: (c)

5. The strategy of 'Non-Congressism', advocating for the unity of opposition parties to defeat Congress, was primarily associated with:
   a) C. Rajagopalachari
   b) Ram Manohar Lohia
   c) A.K. Gopalan
   d) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
   Answer: (b)

6. The expression "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram" became popular in Indian politics after 1967 to describe:
   a) The frequent visits of leaders to constituencies
   b) The phenomenon of political defection
   c) The rise and fall of coalition governments
   d) The campaigning style of politicians
   Answer: (b)

7. The split in the Indian National Congress in 1969 occurred primarily over differences related to:
   a) Foreign policy towards the USSR
   b) The Presidential election and economic policies
   c) The reorganization of states
   d) The handling of the Naxalbari uprising
   Answer: (b)

8. Which of the following was NOT a major policy initiative pushed by Indira Gandhi leading up to the 1971 elections?
   a) Nationalisation of Banks
   b) Abolition of Privy Purses
   c) Introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST)
   d) Focus on Land Reforms
   Answer: (c)

9. What was the main electoral slogan of Indira Gandhi's Congress (R) in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections?
   a) Indira Hatao
   b) Jai Jawan Jai Kisan
   c) Garibi Hatao
   d) India Shining
   Answer: (c)

10. The 'Grand Alliance' formed to oppose Indira Gandhi in the 1971 elections primarily consisted of:
    a) Communist parties and regional parties
    b) Congress (O), Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, and SSP
    c) Only socialist parties
    d) DMK, Akali Dal, and other state parties
    Answer: (b)

Study these notes thoroughly. Understanding the sequence of events, key personalities, and the underlying political and economic factors is essential. Good luck with your preparation!