Janata Government

The Janata government that took office in 1977 was a coalition of convenience, united only by opposition to the Emergency. Once in power, that unity evaporated. The party was never a single, cohesive organisation; it was a collection of rival leaders and factions with different ideologies, regional bases, and personal ambitions.

The first sign of trouble came even before a Prime Minister was chosen. Three major leaders competed for the post: Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi’s long-time rival since the 1960s; Charan Singh, a farmers’ leader from Uttar Pradesh who headed the Bharatiya Lok Dal; and Jagjivan Ram, a former senior Congress minister with decades of experience. Morarji Desai eventually became Prime Minister, but the power struggle did not end — it simply shifted inside the government.

The Janata Party’s internal factionalism became its defining feature. Cartoonists of the time had a field day, and the textbook reproduces several cartoons that capture the infighting. Critics pointed out that the party lacked direction, a clear leader, and a common programme. More importantly, the Janata government failed to bring about any fundamental change in policies from those of the Congress it had replaced. The promise of a new era remained unfulfilled.

The government’s instability proved fatal. The Janata Party split, and the Desai government lost its majority in less than 28 months. A new government was formed under Charan Singh in July 1979, but it survived only about four months. Charan Singh had taken office on the assurance of support from the Congress party, but the Congress later withdrew that support, bringing down his government.

Fresh Lok Sabha elections were held in January 1980. The Janata Party suffered a comprehensive defeat, especially in north India — the very region where it had swept the polls in 1977. The Congress, led by Indira Gandhi, nearly repeated its 1971 triumph, winning 353 seats and returning to power.