For a healthy Parliamentary democracy it is always considered essential that there should be a strong opposition, which should always be in a position to saddle itself in authority, as and when the milling party falters and fails to deliver the goods. But in India the position has been quite different. During freedom struggle Indian National Congress was the only party which stood as vanguard of freedom movement.
The Muslim League, which challenged its authority, lost much of its control and grip over the masses, with the partition of the country in 1947. Before proceeding further, it may be said that for quite some time it was believed that opposition’s role is only negative but with the passage of time it is appreciated all over, that it has positive role to play in national politics.
It is primarily because under our present day electoral system it is not always essential that the party which has been returned to power, must have majority of voters on its side. It is usually found that total percentage of votes polled by the opposition parties under multiple party system is higher than that of the ruling party, because the latter is benefited by the division of the votes of the former.
It is clear from the Table given below. It is the reason as to why the leader of the opposition in all Parliamentary democracies is provided all facilities, which are provided to a Cabinet Minister. In the words of Kaul and Shakdhar, “One of the biggest parliamentary achievements of the present century is that the role of the opposition has been formally recognised and given a due place in parliamentary system.”
After the independence of India, Indian National Congress had great glamour and galaxy of great national leaders were in its fold, who enjoyed great respect and confidence of the people. It was difficult to dislodge them from authority. In fact, vast majority of population was not prepared to listen any criticism of Congress policies and these individual leaders.
Therefore, when first general elections were held m the country Congress under the leadership of Pt. Nehru swept polls both of the Centre as well as the States. At that time out of 489 elected members, as many as 364 belonged to this party in the Lok Sabha. By this time, however, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded Bhartiya Jana Sangh as an opposition party.
The Socialists under Ashok Mehta and the Communists also began to oppose the Congress party on its policies and programmes. But opposition was practically not a hindrance on the path of government, which did what it liked because it was in power both at the Centre as well as in the States.
But as the time passed opposition to Congress party considerably increased. In the general elections held in 1957, Communists could form government in Kerala, which in turn improved their image at the Centre.
Veteran leaders like C. Raja Gopalachari, Minoo Masani and many others, who did not see eye to eye with the Congress on important issues like nationalisation of private industries and use of co-operative farming of agriculture, decided to form Swatantra Party.
This party had something in common with Bhartiya Jana Sangh. But still the role of the opposition in the Parliament was not effective. During the elections held in 1957, out of 404 elected members of Lok Sabha 371 belonged to Congress Party.
Then came elections held in 1962. By this time the Communists, the Socialists, Swantantra Party and Bhartiya Jana Sangh had started making their dents. The people by now had started listening to them, though, out of 491 ejected seats in the Lok Sabha, the Congress still had 358.
Opposition after 1967:
But thereafter monolithic character of the party came under heavy strains and opposition became powerful and strong. The party had followed certain policies like Gold Control, Compulsory Deposit Scheme, etc., which were highly unpopular among the masses.
In 1962, the Congress ruling party faced nation wide criticism for India’s debacle in war against China. Many State Chief Ministers and even some central Cabinet Ministers were charged openly of corruption and they lost confidence of the people.
The people returned many opposition leaders to the Lok Sabha, who vehemently criticised government’s policies and programmes. At this juncture in 1964, Prime Minister Nehru died, who had been boldly facing the on slaught of the opposition.
The result of this was that in 1967 when elections were held in the country, the strength of die opposition very much increased. Out of 518 elected members of the Lok Sabha, the Congress had the reduced strength of only 284. Monolithic character of the party was shattered completely in many states. Communists formed government in Kerala.
Opposition parties combined together as United Front and Samyukta Vidhayak Dal formed governments in several states including, the state of Uttar Pradesh Main opposition parties at the Centre being Bhartiya Jan Sangh, C.P.I. (M), and Swatantra Party. The opposition became so powerful that it moved a vote of no-confidence against the government, not only once but several times, though no such motion could successfully be carried.
It was during this period that regional opposition parties also got roots on their soils. In Tamil Nadu DMK, in Punjab Akali Dal, in J&K, National Conference,, in Orissa Jharkhand and in U.P. Bhartiya Karanti Dal,, to mention a few, began to catch the imagination of the people. Their representatives in the Lok Sabha provided a formidable opposition to the ruling Congress at the Centre.
As if it was not sufficient the ruling party was much criticised over Jayanti Shipping Corporation affairs and India’s participation in the Muslim Summit held at Rabat, where India’s representative late Fakurddin Ali Ahmed, who subsequently became the President of India, was shabbily treated.
To make the situation worse in 1969. Congress party got split in itself into two parts. One was headed by Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi and other by Congress President K.Kamraj and many others including ex-Prime Minister Morarji Desai. This split made the opposition really strong and the group which separated itself from the ruling party was called Congress (O).
Next Lok Sabha elections which were due in 1972 were held a year earlier in 1971. This time the Prime Minister gave the slogan of Gans Hatao’. The Congress party headed by her had a land slide victory. In a House of 518, the party captured 350 seats.
The opposition, which was a house divided in itself, very badly suffered. In fact, it had to rebuild its image. But her policies of bank nationlisation, and abolition of Privy Purses became very controversial.
The Communists, Bhartiya Jan Sangh, AIADMK, Akali Dal, CPI (M) still continued to have hold in the House and launched movements outside the Parliament. Morarji Desai went on fast to get Gujarat state Assembly dissolved and ultimately succeeded in that.
But still there was no national opposition to the ruling Congress party. The opposition parties, however, several times obstructed the proceedings of the House and did not allow it to function smoothly.
In 1975, national emergency was declared in the country and many opposition leaders of each party were put behind the bars. There was then not effective opposition in either House of Parliament. But after 19 months of emergency in 1977 elections were again held in the country.
This time opposition under the able guidance of late Jai Parkash Narayan realised that in case opposition parties did not come together these shall be the sufferers.
Accordingly five national parties namely, the Bhartiya Jan Sangh, Congress (O
), Congress for Democracy (CFD) formed by Jagjiwan Ram after the separation from the Congress, the Socialist groups and Bhartiya Lok Dal headed by Charan Singh joined together to form a new party, called Janata Party.
The people of North India did not like some of the policies of the Congress government during emergency and due to press censorship, the government was not quite well aware of people’s resentment, with the result that ruling Congress was badly defeated and newly formed Janata party, which was a national alternative to Congress came out victorious.
In a House of 542, the Congress party got only 153 seats in the Lok Sabha. It was for the first time in the history of independent India that Congress was dislodged from power at the Centre.
Opposition after 1977:
But soon after coming to power, there were in-fights in the ruling Janata Party. Within 2.5 years, Janata party which had emerged as national alternative to Congress began to disintegrate.
In the party Lok Dal raised the issue of dual membership of RSS and Janata Party. In the opinion of the Dal, RSS was a political party and no member of Janata party should have any links with that party. But erstwhile Jan Sangh group did not agree with that.
The result was that Charan Singh, Raj Narain and their associates left the party, reducing it to minority. AIADMK which had been supporting the party too left that and so did H.N. Bahuguna. The House was dissolved after few months. At the end of 1979, elections were again held.
But before that the Congress opposition also had a split, when Dev Raj Urs and some other Congress stalwarts left the Congress resulting in the formation of a new party Congress (I) with Smt. Indira Gandhi, as its President.
Before election results were out there were speculations that no political party will get clear majority at the centre and that an era of coalition government at the Centre had ushered. But to the surprise of many political Pandits, Congress (I) had a sweeping majority and in a House of 542 the party had two-third majority by capturing 351 seats.
The chances of national alternative to ruling Congress were further reduced after 1980 election results. The Janata Party which had put forward Jagjiwan Ram as its leader, if returned to power, left the party on the issue of dual membership. He first formed Janata (J) claiming that it was real Janata party, but within next few days joined Congress party headed by Dev Raj Urs.
The earth while Jan Sangh group also left the party forming a new party called Bhartiya Janata Party with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as its Chairman. In the Janata (S) which was founded by Charan Singh and Raj Narain, there were frictions. A stage came when Party President Charan Singh expelled his party working President Raj Narain from the party. The latter founded a new party.