Janata Morcha
Encyclopedia
The Janata Morcha was a coalition of India
n political parties formed in 1974 to oppose the government of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
and her Congress (R)
party. The coalition was an integral part of the popular movement against the Emergency rule of Indira Gandhi and the direct predecessor of the Janata Party
, which defeated the Congress (R) in the Indian general election, 1977
to form the first non-Congress government in independent India. It was formed by Jayaprakash Narayan
and Morarji Desai
, chief of the main opposition Congress (O)
party.
, the Congress (O), Samyukta Socialist Party
and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh
had formed a coalition called the "Grand Alliance" to oppose Indira Gandhi and the Congress (R), but failed to have an impact;; Indira's Congress (R) won a large majority in the 1971 elections and her popularity increased significantly after India's victory in the war of 1971
against Pakistan
. However, Gandhi's subsequent inability to address serious issues such as unemployment, poverty, inflation and shortages eroded her popularity.
, Samyukta Socialist Party
and the Swatantra Party
. The Janata Morcha won a surprising victory in the elections held for the Vidhan Sabha
(Legislative Assembly) of the Indian state of Gujarat on June 11, 1975. The next day, the Allahabad High Court
judged Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices, invalidated her 1971 election victory and barred her from elective office for six years. This led Indira to impose a state of emergency on June 26, 1975. Indira's government used the state of emergency to clamp down on opposition and dissolved the newly-elected assembly, preventing the Morcha from forming the government and taking power.
, the constituents of the Janata Morcha formally launched the Janata Party on January 18, 1977, determined to forge a united front of all opposition political parties. The Janata party replicated the success of the Morcha in Gujarat by winning the 1977 elections and forming the first non-Congress government of India.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n political parties formed in 1974 to oppose the government of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
and her Congress (R)
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party. The coalition was an integral part of the popular movement against the Emergency rule of Indira Gandhi and the direct predecessor of the Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
, which defeated the Congress (R) in the Indian general election, 1977
Indian general election, 1977
India held general elections to the 6th Lok Sabha. This sixth general elections, which were conducted for 542 seats from 542 constituencies, represented 27 Indian states and union territories. These 542 constituencies were remain same till Indian general elections, 2004 for the 14th Lok Sabha.The...
to form the first non-Congress government in independent India. It was formed by Jayaprakash Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan , widely known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash, or Loknayak, was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution...
and Morarji Desai
Morarji Desai
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress...
, chief of the main opposition Congress (O)
Indian National Congress (Organisation)
The Indian National Congress or Congress was a political party in India formed when Indira Gandhi broke away from the leadership of the Congress Party...
party.
History
For the Indian general election, 1971Indian general election, 1971
India held general elections to the 5th Lok Sabha. This fifth general elections, which were conducted for 518 seats from 518 constituencies, represented 27 Indian states and union territories. Indira Gandhi steered the Congress to a landslide victory in 1971...
, the Congress (O), Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party , was a political party in India from 1964 to 1972. SSP was formed through a split in the Praja Socialist Party in 1964. In 1972 SSP was reunited with PSP, forming the Socialist Party....
and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Bharatiya Jana Sangh
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh existed from 1951 to 1980, whereupon it was succeeded by the Bharatiya Janata Party, one of India's largest political parties...
had formed a coalition called the "Grand Alliance" to oppose Indira Gandhi and the Congress (R), but failed to have an impact;; Indira's Congress (R) won a large majority in the 1971 elections and her popularity increased significantly after India's victory in the war of 1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
against Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. However, Gandhi's subsequent inability to address serious issues such as unemployment, poverty, inflation and shortages eroded her popularity.
Formation and election victory
The Janata Morcha was formed by Jayaprakash Narayan and Morarji Desai as an alliance of political parties opposed to the Congress (R) and Indira Gandhi. The constituents included the Congress (O), Bharatiya Jana SanghBharatiya Jana Sangh
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh existed from 1951 to 1980, whereupon it was succeeded by the Bharatiya Janata Party, one of India's largest political parties...
, Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party , was a political party in India from 1964 to 1972. SSP was formed through a split in the Praja Socialist Party in 1964. In 1972 SSP was reunited with PSP, forming the Socialist Party....
and the Swatantra Party
Swatantra Party
The Swatantra Party was a classical liberal political party in India founded by Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and N. G. Ranga in August 1959. The party opposed the Nehruvian socialist outlook of the Congress Party by advocating free enterprise and free trade, and opposing the licence-permit Raj...
. The Janata Morcha won a surprising victory in the elections held for the Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
(Legislative Assembly) of the Indian state of Gujarat on June 11, 1975. The next day, the Allahabad High Court
Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court or the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad is a high court having jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh since 1950...
judged Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices, invalidated her 1971 election victory and barred her from elective office for six years. This led Indira to impose a state of emergency on June 26, 1975. Indira's government used the state of emergency to clamp down on opposition and dissolved the newly-elected assembly, preventing the Morcha from forming the government and taking power.
Janata Party
During the emergency, the leaders and activists of the Janata Morcha were imprisoned. After the 1977 elections were calledIndian general election, 1977
India held general elections to the 6th Lok Sabha. This sixth general elections, which were conducted for 542 seats from 542 constituencies, represented 27 Indian states and union territories. These 542 constituencies were remain same till Indian general elections, 2004 for the 14th Lok Sabha.The...
, the constituents of the Janata Morcha formally launched the Janata Party on January 18, 1977, determined to forge a united front of all opposition political parties. The Janata party replicated the success of the Morcha in Gujarat by winning the 1977 elections and forming the first non-Congress government of India.