Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System
Politics in India since Independence • NCERT Solutions • Chapter 5
Objective Type Questions
1. Which of these statements about the 1967 elections is/are correct?
Answer: (a) Congress won the Lok Sabha elections but lost the Assembly elections in many states.
(Note: This event was described as a “political earthquake” as Congress lost power in nearly 9 states).
(Note: This event was described as a “political earthquake” as Congress lost power in nearly 9 states).
2. Match the following:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (a) Syndicate | (iv) A group of powerful and influential leaders within the Congress |
| (b) Defection | (i) An elected representative leaving the party on whose ticket s/he has been elected |
| (c) Slogan | (ii) A catchy phrase that attracts public attention |
| (d) Anti-Congressism | (iii) Parties with different ideological positions coming together to oppose Congress |
3. Whom would you identify with the following slogans/phrases?
(a) Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: Lal Bahadur Shastri
(b) Indira Hatao!: The Grand Alliance (Opposition Parties)
(c) Garibi Hatao!: Indira Gandhi
(b) Indira Hatao!: The Grand Alliance (Opposition Parties)
(c) Garibi Hatao!: Indira Gandhi
4. Which of the following statement about the Grand Alliance of 1971 is correct?
Answer: (a) was formed by non-Communist, non-Congress parties.
(The CPI allied with the Congress, so the Grand Alliance was strictly non-Communist opposition like SSP, PSP, Jana Sangh, etc.)
(The CPI allied with the Congress, so the Grand Alliance was strictly non-Communist opposition like SSP, PSP, Jana Sangh, etc.)
Critical Thinking & Analysis
5. How should a political party resolve its internal differences? Suggest advantages and shortcomings of each method.
- (a) Follow the footsteps of the party president:
Advantage: Ensures unity and quick decision-making.
Shortcoming: Can lead to dictatorship and suppression of internal democracy. - (b) Listen to the majority group:
Advantage: Democratic and reflects the will of the larger section.
Shortcoming: Can alienate minority factions, leading to splits (factionalism). - (c) Secret ballot voting on every issue:
Advantage: Allows members to express true opinions without fear.
Shortcoming: Time-consuming and may weaken party discipline (whip). - (d) Consult the senior and experienced leaders:
Advantage: Utilizes wisdom and experience; maintains stability.
Shortcoming: May lead to generation gaps and stagnation (resistance to new ideas).
6. State which of these were reasons for the defeat of the Congress in 1967. Give reasons.
Reasons for defeat:
- (a) The absence of a charismatic leader: True. After Nehru’s death, there was a void in leadership that could command mass appeal across India.
- (c) Increased mobilisation of regional, ethnic and communal groups: True. Parties like DMK (Tamil Nadu) and Akali Dal (Punjab) mobilized people on regional identity.
- (d) Increasing unity among non-Congress parties: True. The strategy of “Anti-Congressism” (promoted by Ram Manohar Lohia) prevented the division of opposition votes.
- (e) Internal differences within the Congress party: True. Factionalism led to many leaders leaving Congress (Defection) to form “Congress (O)” or join coalitions like SVD.
- (Note: (b) Split within the Congress happened formally in 1969, so it was a consequence, not a cause of the 1967 defeat, though internal tension existed).
Long Answer Questions
7. What were the factors which led to the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s Government in the early 1970s?
Indira Gandhi restored the Congress system by reinventing it. Factors included:
- Pro-Poor Agenda: The slogan “Garibi Hatao” resonated deeply with the masses, positioning her as the messiah of the poor against the “rich” Grand Alliance.
- Socialist Policies: Bold steps like the Nationalisation of Banks (1969) and the Abolition of Privy Purses signaled a commitment to socialism.
- Decisive Leadership: Her handling of the 1971 crisis, leading to the creation of Bangladesh and victory over Pakistan, skyrocketed her popularity.
- Organizational Restructuring: She bypassed the party bosses (Syndicate) and connected directly with the people, creating a personal support base.
8. What does the term ‘syndicate’ mean in the context of the Congress party of the sixties? What role did it play?
Definition: The ‘Syndicate’ was a group of powerful and influential regional leaders within the Congress party (e.g., K. Kamaraj, S.K. Patil, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, Atulya Ghosh).
Role:
Role:
- Kingmakers: They played a decisive role in the succession after Nehru and Shastri, installing Indira Gandhi as PM, believing she would be dependent on them.
- Party Control: They controlled the party organization and ticket distribution.
- Conflict: Later, they opposed Indira Gandhi’s independent policies, leading to the power struggle and eventual split of the party in 1969.
9. Discuss the major issue which led to the formal split of the Congress Party in 1969.
The immediate trigger for the formal split was the Presidential Election of 1969.
The Conflict:
The Conflict:
- The Syndicate nominated N. Sanjeeva Reddy as the official Congress candidate for President.
- Indira Gandhi, having serious differences with Reddy, silently supported the Vice-President, V.V. Giri, who ran as an independent.
- Whip vs. Conscience: The Syndicate issued a “whip” for all MPs to vote for Reddy. Indira Gandhi called for a “conscience vote,” effectively encouraging support for Giri.
10. Read the passage by Sudipta Kaviraj and answer the questions.
(a) Difference between strategies of Nehru and Indira Gandhi:
Nehru led a federal, democratic, and ideological party that accommodated diversity and debate. Indira Gandhi transformed it into a highly centralized and undemocratic organization where loyalty to the leader mattered more than ideology or party democracy.
(b) Why does the author say Congress ‘died’ in the seventies?
The author argues that while Congress won elections, its soul as a political organization died. The grassroots structure, internal democracy, and ideological depth were dismantled, replacing the institution with a personality cult centered on Indira Gandhi.
(c) Effect on other political parties:
Indira’s “populist politics” forced other parties to change their discourse. Politics became less about substantial policy debates and more about electoral slogans. It compelled the disparate opposition groups to unite solely on the platform of opposing her (“Indira Hatao”), changing the nature of political competition from ideological to personality-based.
Nehru led a federal, democratic, and ideological party that accommodated diversity and debate. Indira Gandhi transformed it into a highly centralized and undemocratic organization where loyalty to the leader mattered more than ideology or party democracy.
(b) Why does the author say Congress ‘died’ in the seventies?
The author argues that while Congress won elections, its soul as a political organization died. The grassroots structure, internal democracy, and ideological depth were dismantled, replacing the institution with a personality cult centered on Indira Gandhi.
(c) Effect on other political parties:
Indira’s “populist politics” forced other parties to change their discourse. Politics became less about substantial policy debates and more about electoral slogans. It compelled the disparate opposition groups to unite solely on the platform of opposing her (“Indira Hatao”), changing the nature of political competition from ideological to personality-based.