The coalition era

This was the first time in history no party enjoyed a majority in the Lok Sabha. Janata Dal’s V. P. Singh briefly led the National Front coalition. The ‘Mandir and Mandal’ politics stirred unrest across a polarised nation.

The Lok Sabha was in session for 15 months, from December 1989 to March 1991. For the first time since independence, no party had a majority in the Lower House, resulting in the National Front coalition forming the government. Janata Dal’s V.P. Singh was sworn in as the Prime Minister. The session witnessed the early days of the Mandir and Mandal politics, with caste-based reservation protests and Ram Janmabhoomi movement stirring unrest throughout the country. The shadow of the Bofors scandal, Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and turbulent economic conditions also loomed large on the electorate.

The polls

Polls were held across 25 States and seven Union Territories – 543 Constituencies – between November 22 and 26, 1989. Vying for these seats were more than 6,000 candidates. A charged communal atmosphere unfolded in the backdrop, after Rajiv Gandhi allowed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to perform shilanyas at the disputed site Babri Masjid site. Elections in 18 constituencies were postponed.

The number of voters increased by 20.58%, and voter turnout dipped by 2.1% in comparison to 1984. Out of the 113 contesting parties, no single party won a majority and there was no clear mandate. Congress saw a sharp and severe defeat, bagging less than half (197) of the total seats it won in the 1984 elections. The Janata Dal trailed with 143 seats, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP was the biggest gainer – increasing its tally of MPs from two to 85.

The house of the people

The National Front (coalition) formed the Central Government, with outside support from the BJP and the Left Front. The coalition was led by the Janata Dal, formed by V.P Singh who in the previous regime had become the face of the Opposition’s anti-corruption campaign. Other parties included Congress (S),Telugu Desam Party (TDP), DMK and Assam Gana Parishad. TDP’s N.T. Rama Rao was made the Chairman.

The contenders for the prime ministerial office included Devi Lal (Indian National Lok Dal), Chandra Shekhar (Janata Dal) and V.P. Singh. Mr. Singh was chosen as the leader of the newly formed coalition government. He served as the Prime Minister for less than a year from December 2 to November 10, 1990, but gained a reputation for being a “disruptor” with the implementation of the Mandal Commission report. “V.P. Singh, the author of the OBCfication of Indian politics and public life, never got enough credit…by those who built their political careers around Mandal politics,” Nistula Hebbar wrote in The Hindu.

INC’s Rajiv Gandhi served as the Leader of the Opposition after losing the elections. During this time, socialist activist Rabi Ray oversaw the proceedings as the Speaker of the House.

The politics

Congress (I) lost national power and political dominance, with notable losses in the northern belt. As course correction, the party focused on “appeasing The Hindu sentiment”, The Hindu noted. Rajiv Gandhi’s government green-signaled the opening of the Babri Masjid locks, “apparently to divert attention from the Shah Bano case and placate the Indian middle class”. Mr. Gandhi also kickstarted his campaign from Ayodhya’s district headquarters. Congress still held appeal among southern voters, clocking 39.53% votes out of Tamil Nadu.

With no clear mandate, and a hung Parliament, the National Front brought communist and right-wing leaders together. The Hindu noted in an editorial the challenge that lay ahead of the Janata Dal, “an amalgam of distinct groups with ambitious leaders”. Running the government, with support from the BJP on the one side, and CPI(M), CPI and left parties on the other, would prove to “be extremely tricky”.

The agenda

The Lok Sabha tenure witnessed economic instability and communal protests. The stability of the coalition government was threatened when Mr. Singh’s government in August 1990 decided to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission. It endorsed reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and shaped discourse around affirmative action for marginalised communities. Outrage spread among the middle-class and upper-caste communities, a key voter base for the BJP. Anti-Mandal protests fragmented north Indian voters over caste lines; a student at Delhi University attempted self-immolation in September 1990 to protest Mr. Singh’s policies.

There was concurrently a religious upheaval over L.K. Advani’s arrest in Bihar for running the divisive Ram Rath Yatra.

BJP eventually withdrew its support from the National Front in November 1990. Mr. Singh lost a vote of confidence, resigned and the National Front Government fell.

Chandra Shekhar replaced Mr. Singh as the Prime Minister with outside support from the Indian National Congress party. He held the position for seven months, the second-shortest duration after that of Charan Singh. Mr. Shekhar’s government failed to pass the Budget at a time of economic turmoil.

India went to the polls again in May 1991. The Hindu noted that the Janata experiment of 1977 fell prey to a “series of socio-religious events that prompted a political realignment which eventually changed the country’s political landscape forever”.

References

1. Election Commission of India
2. Election Atlas of India: Parliamentary elections 1952 – 2014, edited by Dr. R. K. Thukral
3. The audio and video were taken from Prasar Bharati Archives’ YouTube page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6A96n2YBck and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HffcKtZyJmk
4. The Hindu Archives