Trace the emergence of BJP as a significant force in post-Emergency politics.

(i) After the fall of the Janata Party and its break-up, the supporters of erstwhile Jana Sangh formed the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980.

(ii) The BJP adopted a broader political platform than that of the Jana Sangh to gain support from more sections of people. It embraced 'Gandhian Socialism' as its ideology. However, it could not get much success in the elections held in 1980 and 1984. It won only two seats in the Lok Sabha elections of 1984.

(iii) After 1986, the party began to emphasise the Hindu nationalist elements in its ideology. The party pursued the politics of ‘Hindutva’ and adopted the strategy of mobilising the Hindus.

(iv) In 1985 subsequent of Shah Bano case and the orders of the Supreme Court, the government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Divorce) Act 1986 on the demands of some Muslim leaders. The BJP criticised the action of the government as an unnecessary concession and ‘appeasement’ of the minority community. At the same time, Ayodhya issue was made by the BJP as its major electoral and political plank. The BJP, in order to generate public support, took out the Rathyatra from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya in UP.

(v) As a result of above events, the BJP was able to consolidate its position in the elections of 1989 when the party won 85 seats in the Lok Sabha. The party won 121 seats in 1991 and 160 seats in 1996 elections. It was the largest party in 1996 elections.

(vi) With the formation of National Democratic Alliance, the BJP led government remained in power from March 1998 to October 1999 and again from October 1999 to May 2004. Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister during this period.