Challenges To And Restoration Of The Congress System

Statement (a) is Correct: The Congress did manage to get a majority in the Lok Sabha, but with its lowest tally of seats and share of votes since 1952.

Statement (b) is wrong: Congress Won Lok Sabha but lost Assembly election.

Statement (c) is Correct: 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 that supported non-Congress governments.

Statement (d) is wrong: after the 1967 elections, the Congress retained power at the Centre but with a reduced majority and lost power in many States.

a) Syndicate: A group of powerful and influential leaders within the Congress. Syndicate was the informal name given to a group of Congress leaders who were in control of the party’s organisation. It was led by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and then the president of the Congress party

b) Defection: An elected representative leaving the party on whose ticket s/he has been elected. Another important feature of the politics after the 1967 election was the role played by defections in the making and unmaking of governments in the States.

c) Slogan: A catchy phrase that attracts public attention. Indira Hatao, Garibi Hatao are some famous phrase.

d) Anti-Congressism: parties with different ideological position coming together to oppose Congress and its policies.

(a) Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan : Lal Bahadur Shastri

Shastri’s famous slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’, during war with china and the situation of drought and food crisis that prevailed.

(b) Indira Hatao! : Jayaprakash Narayan

The opposition of congress had only one agenda to remove Indira.

(c) Garibi Hatao! : Indira Gandhi

A slogan given by Indira Gandhi on removing poverty.

(a) Was formed by non-Communist, non-Congress parties.

All the major non-communist, non- Congress opposition parties formed an electoral alliance known as the Grand Alliance.

(a) Follow the footsteps of the party president

Advantage: If the members of a group follows the footsteps of the leader then unity and discipline would be maintained in the party.

Shortcoming: The leader would run his monopoly and would take the decision without anyone’s else consultation, so the inner democracy may get weakned.

(b) Listen to the majority group

Advantage: If the party listens to the majority then there would be confidence in the party and the group gets strengthened.

Shortcomings: If the group listens to the majority then there would be disruption in the party because then everyone would try to please leader with their idea by dominating over others.

(c) Secret ballot voting on every issue

Advantage: It gives chance to everyone to take part in decision making.

Shortcoming: It paves way for the members to vote for opposition party. This may prove fatal for the party.

(d) Consult the senior and experienced leaders of the party

Advantage: The novice and less experienced could get insight into the issue and derive to a solution in a better way.

Shortcoming: If the senior are only consulted then there hold into the party will get strengthened.

The main reason for the defeat was split in the congress.

a) This is not the reason because there were many charismatic leader in the party including Indira Gandhi.

b) This is the main reason cited for the failure of the defeat. There arose Syndicate Vs Indira situation and these syndicate named group were but from within Congress, who wanted Indira to follow their advice.

c) This could be a reason but not the foremost. There were many regional parties which divided the vote bank.

d) No, there was no such unity among the non congress parties.

e) Internal differences in congress itself gave rise to split.

The factors for the popularity of Indira were:

1. Socialist propaganda like Garibi Hatao i.e. remove poverty became popular.

2. She campaigned for land reform legislation and land ceiling legislation.

3. The crisis in East Pakistan to establish independent Bangladesh gained her popularity.

4. She turned out to be a mass leader as a protector of poor and underpriviledged.

1. Syndicate was the informal name given to a group of Congress leaders who were in control of the party’s organisation.

2. It was led by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and then the president of the Congress party.

3. These leaders expected Indira Gandhi to follow their advise.

Role of Syndicate:

1. The Syndicate had played a role in the installation of Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister by ensuring her election as the leader of the parliamentary party.

2. After Split there was one congress led by syndicate and other by Indira.

1. Despite Indira Gandhi’s reservation, syndicate nominated Neelam sanjeeva Reddy as a presidential candidate.

2. Indira Gandhi retariated this by nominating V V Giri then vice president as president candidate as independent.

3. V V Giri won due to diplomatic efforts and syndicate nominated candidate was defeated.

4. This led to split in the congress.

The mere power differences got turned into differences in ideologies and hence split in Congress.

(a) Nehru led the party into federal and democratic manner while Indira Gandhi converted the party into centralised and undemocratic.

(b) Because there was change in the nature of congress, including electoral discourage and the use of various slogans to suppress the other.

(c) The change in ideologies of congress gave rise to several regional parties and moreover the split also added fire to the flame.