Politics In India Since Independence Chapter 2 Era Of One-party Dominance

(i) The country would have become modern, progressive and strong on the basis of Indian culture and traditions.

(ii) There would have been reunion of India and Pakistan in Akhand Bharat.

(iii) Hindi would have become as the official language of India.

If Communist Party of India had formed the government, the policies would have been different in the following ways:

(i) It would have followed the policy of nationalisation.

(ii) There would have been state controlled economy.

(iii) The communism would have become the main ideology in the country.

Three basic differences between the two parties — i.e., Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Communist Party of India are with regard to economy,language and culture.

(i) It accommodated revolutionary and pacifist, conservative and radical, extremist and moderate and the right left and all shades of the centre.

(ii) The Congress was a ‘platform’ for numerous groups, interests and even political parties to take part in the national movement.

(iii) In pre–Independence days, many organisations and parties with their own constitution and organisational structure were allowed to exist within the Congress. 

It was Congress socialist Party. Despite differences regarding the methods, specific programmes and policies the party managed to contain if not resolve differences and build a consensus.

The roots of extraordinary success of Congress Party go back to the legacy of freedom struggle. Congress was seen as the inheritor of national movement. Many of our leaders contested elections as Congress candidates and won the elections.

(i) The Socialist parties believed in the ideology of democratic socialism whereas the Communist Party on the other hand, took inspiration from the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and advocated socialism as a solution to problems affecting the country.

(ii) The Congress Socialist Party was formed within the Congress in 1934 and wanted a more radical and egalitarian Congress. On the other the communists worked mainly from within the fold of the Indian National Congress. A parting of ways took place in December 1941, when the communists decided to support the British in their war against Nazi Germany.

(iii) The Socialist Party went through many splits and reunions leading to the formation of many socialist parties. These included the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party, the Praja Socialist Party and Samyukta Socialist Party and others. While, the Communist Party was divided once in 1964 on the basis of ideology. As a result of it Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed.

Three differences between Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party are as given below :

(i) Bharatiya Jana Sangh was formed in 1951 while The Swatantra Party was formed in August 1959.

(ii) In its early years, Bharatiya Jana Sangh had support base mainly in the urban areas of the Hindi speaking states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh on the other hand Swatantra Party was supported by landlords, princes, industrialists and business class.

(iii) Bharatiya Jana Sangh had a strong base. Its lineage can be traced back to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Hindu Mahasabha whereas Swatantra Party’s base was narrow as it attracted landlords, princes, industrialists and business classes only.

Mexico

(i) In Mexico, the Institutional Revolutionary Party or the PRI dominated for almost sixty years.

(ii) PRI was mixture of various interests including political and military leaders, labour and Peasant organisations and political parties.

(iii) In Mexico, electoral laws were operated in a manner so as to ensure that the PRI always won. Elections were often rigged and manipulated by the ruling party.

(iv) In Mexico, tactics adopted by the PRI during the period of its dominance had a long term effect on the health of democracy. The citizens have yet to develop full confidence in the free and fair nature of elections.

India

(i) In India, Indian National Congress’s dominance was for about fifteen years.

(ii) Indian National Congress did not represent military leaders.

(iii) In India there were always fair and free elections.

(iv)The relations between the ruling party and the opposition were cordial.

(b) Congress played the eclectic role in the early years. For example, from 1935 the Communists worked mainly from within the fold of the Indian National Congress. Similarly the Congress Socialists Party was formed within the Congress in 1934 by a group of young leaders who wanted a more radical and egalitarian Congress.

(c) Gandhi’s view about Congress’s future was romantic because there were all groups of people representing India’s diversity. It was an ideological coalition and was a necessity for ‘carrying on the movement’ to hold these people together. 

(i) continental size of the country

(ii) Delimitation of electoral constituencies

(iii) Illiteracy of voters

(ii) It was the only party then to have an organisation spread all over the country.

(i) In the first general election it was decided to place inside each polling booth a box for each candidate with the election symbol of that candidate. Each voter was given a blank ballot which they had to drop into the box of the candidate they wanted to vote for. About 20 lakh steel boxes were used for this purpose.

(ii) After first two elections, this method was changed. Now the ballot paper carried the names and symbols of all the candidates and the voter was required to put a stamp on the name of the candidate they wanted to vote for. This method worked for nearly forty years.

(iii) Towards the end of 1990s, the Election Commission started using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). By 2004, the entire country had shifted to the EVM.

(i)An Indian editor called it “the biggest gamble in history”.

(ii) Organiser, an english magazine wrote that Jawaharlal Nehru “would live to confess the failure of universal adult franchise in India”.

(i)It was seen as inheritor of the national movement.Many leaders who were in the forefront of that struggle were contesting elections as Congress Candidates. 

(ii) The Congress was already a well organised party while the other parties could not even think of a strategy.

(iii)The party had organisational network down to the local level.

(iv)Congress nature was all inclusive.

(i) In the early 1920s the Communists took inspiration from the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and advocated Socialism as the solution to problems affecting the country.

(ii) From 1935, the Communists worked mainly from within the fold of Congress.In December 1941, they left the Congress due to differences over Communist’s supporting the British in their war against Nazi Germany.

(iii) The Communist Party of lndia had a well-organised party machinery and dedicated cadre at the time of independence.

(iv) After independence the Communist Party thought that the transfer of power in 1947 was not true independence and  encouraged violent uprisings in Telangana. 

As a result of policy of tolerance and management of different factions, even if a group was not happy with the policy of the party, it would remain inside the party and fight the other groups rather than leaving the party and becoming an 'opposotion'.

(i) These parties offered a sustained and often principled criticism of the policies and practices of the Congress Party.

(ii) They kept the ruling party under check and often changed the balance of power within the Congress.

(iii) By keeping the democratic political alternative alive, these parties prevented the resentment with the system from turning anti-democratic.

(iv) These parties also groomed the leaders who were to play a crucial role in shaping of our country.

(b) Two states where the Congress remained in power through this period – Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. See the map given below:

(ii) The cartoonist depicts the sea of aspirants seeking Congress tickets.

(ii) The states were: Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala

(a) Two states where Congress was not in power at some point during 1952-67 was Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala.
(b) Two states where the Congress remained in power through this period was Orissa and Andhra Pardesh.

It brought together diverse groups, whose interests were often contradictory. Peasants and industrialists, urban dwellers and villagers, workers and owners, middle, lower, upper classes and castes, all found space in the congress.

It accommodated the revolutionary and pacifist, conservatives and radical, extremist and moderate and the right, left and all shades of the centre. The congress was a ’platform’ for numerous groups, interests and even political parties to take part in the national movement.

(i) Chhattisgarh

(ii) Manipur

(iii) Kerala

(iv) Tripura/Assam.

(v) Punjab.

The causes:
(i) Differences between Indira and the Syndicate

(ii) Nomination of N. Sanjeev Reddy as official candidate for the post of President of India in 1969, which was against the wishes of Indira Gandhi.

(iii) Revolutionary steps taken by Indira Gandhi were not welcomed by the old Congress leaders .

(iv) Indira Gandhi supported V.V.Giri as an independent Candidate for the post of President of India.

(v) The defeat of N. Sanjeev Reddy led to the split of the Congress Party Circumstances that led to the mid-term election in 1980

                                                                                                Or
(i) The opposition to an emergency could not keep the Janta Party together for a long time . The Janta Party lacked direction,leadership and a common programme.

(ii) Janta party government could not bring about a fundamental change in policies from those pursued by the Congress earlier.

(iii) The Janta Party split and the government which was led by Morarji Desai lost its majority in less than 18 months.

(iv) Another government headed by Charan Singh was formed on the assurance of the support of the Congress Party. But the Congress Party later decided to withdraw its support with the result that Charan Singh Government could remain in powerfor just four months.

In 1952

The steps:

 (i) The Election commission of India was set up.

 (ii) Boundaries of the electoral constituencies were drawn.

 (iii) Electoral rolls of all the citizens eligible to vote were prepared.

 (iv) Officers and polling staff to conduct the elections were trained by Election Commission. The level of participation was encouraging-more than half the eligible voters turned out to vote on the day of elections. When the results were declared these were accepted as fair even by the losers. India’s general election of 1952 became a landmark in the history of democracy all the world. It proved that democracy could be practiced anywhere in the world.

“Acharya Narendra Dev” was the founder President of the Congress Socialist Party. After 1948, this party was given the name of ‘Praja Socialist Party‘.

The reasons:

 (i) The Congress was the only party to have organisation spread all over the country.

 (ii) It had inherited the legacy of national movement.

 (iii) The party had Jawaharlal Nehru the most popular and charismatic leader in Indian politics.

 (iv) Congress was all inclusive- a social and ideological coalition.

The Communist Party of India was divide in 1964 following the ideological rift between Soviet Union and China.

The factors that helped the congress to continue to dominate the Indian political scenario for almost three decades after independence are:

(i) It had inherited the legacy of national movement. The Congress was the only party to have organization spread all over the country.

(iii) The party had Jawaharlal Nehru the most popular and charismatic leader in Indian politics. He led the congress campaign and toured through the country.

(iv) Congress was all inclusive- a social and ideological coalition and had transformed into a rainbow-like social coalition, which accommodated the revolutionary as well as pacifist.

OR

Answer:

Green Revolution was a policy of putting more resources into those areas which already had irrigation and those farmers who were already well-off to help increase production rapidly in the short run. In this, high- yielding variety seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and better irrigation at highly subsidised prices offered.

Merits:

(i) The green revolution delivered agricultural growth with a rise in wheat production.

(ii) It raised the availability of food in the country.

Demerits:

(i) Some regions like Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh became agriculturally prosperous, while others remained backward.

(ii) It resulted in the rise of what is called the middle peasant sections.

In 1957, Kerala.

J&K comprises of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Communist party of India had split in 1964 following the ideological rift between Soviet Union and China.

The factors responsible for the dominance of the Congress Party in India are-

(i) It had inherited the legacy of national movement.

(ii) The Congress was the only party to have organisation spread all over the country.

(iii) The party had Jawaharlal Nehru the most popular and charismatic leader in Indian politics. He led the congress campaign and toured through the country.

(iv) Congress was all inclusive- a social and ideological coalition and had transformed into a rainbow-like social coalition, which accommodated the revolutionary as well as the pacifist.

(i) The coalition nature of the congress party tolerated and in fact encouraged various factions.
(ii) Congress worked as social and ideological coalition which is also known as a rainbow like coalition representing India‟s diversity which helped in establishing democratic set-up.

Yes,it is true to some extent. For them, it was through the politics that the development can be brought in the country. But with the passage of time the politics got corrupted, turning into problems by them. 

The reasons are mentioned below: 

i. In India democracy was not featured by dominance of one party.

ii. In India multiparty system prevails where as in other countries like China and Russia dominance of one party was due to the structure one party system.

iii. In India there has never been military takeover like in Myanmar and Egypt.

iii. In India dominance of the party (Congress) was due to its own popularity and characteristics.

Political Parties of India that participated in the first general elections.

(i) Indian National Congress

(ii) Communist Party of India

(iii) Socialist Party

(iv) Peoples Democratic Front

(i) (D) Telangana

(ii) (A) Maharashtra

(iii) (E) Tamil Nadu

(iv) (C) Kerala

(v) (B) Punjab

The dominance of the Congress Party in India is distinguished from the other countries in  the following ways:- 
i) In India, democracy was not compromised by dominance of one party.

ii) In India, multiparty system prevailed where as in other countries like China and Russia dominance of one party was due to one party system only.
iii) In India, there was no military interference like the same in Myanmar and Egypt.
iv) In India, dominance of the one party (Congress) was due to its own popularity which managed it to win elections after elections.

Reasons for the dominance of Congress Party in first three general elections in India :-

i) It had inherited the legacy of the national movement.

ii) It was the only party at that time which had organizations all over India.

iii) It had Nehru’s charismatic leadership.