NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 – Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System

NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 explains the major political changes that took place in India during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Students should refer to the official NCERT website for authentic textbooks and syllabus updates. In NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5, students learn how the dominance of the Indian National Congress was challenged and how political competition increased in Indian democracy.

NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 begins with the challenge of political succession after the death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 27 May 1964. After Nehru’s death, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the Prime Minister in 1964, but his sudden death on 11 January 1966 in Tashkent created another leadership challenge. Eventually, Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India in 1966, marking the beginning of a new phase in Indian politics.

Another major development discussed in NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 is the Fourth General Elections held in February 1967, which significantly weakened the dominance of the Congress party. For the first time, Congress lost power in several states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, and many coalition governments were formed. These developments showed that the era of unquestioned Congress dominance was beginning to decline.

NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 also explains the split in the Congress party in 1969, which occurred due to the conflict between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate leaders such as K. Kamaraj and S. Nijalingappa. The conflict intensified during the Presidential Election of 1969, when V. V. Giri won the election on 24 August 1969 with the support of Indira Gandhi. Later, the government abolished the Privy Purse of former princes through the 26th Constitutional Amendment in 1971, which became an important political decision.

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1. Challenge of political succession

• The first major political challenge after Independence in 1947 was the question of political succession, which became serious after the death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 27 May 1964.
• Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) had been the Prime Minister of India from 15 August 1947 to 27 May 1964, and his long leadership had created political stability and strong dominance of the Indian National Congress.
• Many observers believed that after Nehru’s death in 1964, India might face political instability, because the country had become accustomed to his central leadership in government and the Congress party.
• Some critics even predicted that India might experience serious political conflict or breakdown of democratic institutions, as had happened in several newly independent countries of Asia and Africa during the 1950s and 1960s.
• However, the Indian political system and democratic institutions proved strong, and the process of choosing a new Prime Minister took place peacefully within the Congress party and the parliamentary system.
• The smooth transition of leadership after Nehru’s death in 1964 demonstrated that India’s democracy had developed institutional stability, and the country was not dependent on one single leader for political continuity.

1.1 From Nehru to Shastri

• After the death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 27 May 1964, the responsibility of selecting a new leader fell on the Indian National Congress, which was the dominant political party at that time.
• The decision-making process inside the Congress was strongly influenced by Kumaraswami Kamaraj (1903–1975), popularly known as K. Kamaraj, who was the President of the Indian National Congress from 1964 to 1967 and an influential party organiser.
• Because of his role in selecting national leaders, K. Kamaraj came to be known as the “Kingmaker” in Congress politics during the mid-1960s.
• After consultations within the party, Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904–1966) was chosen as the Prime Minister of India in June 1964, succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri had earlier served as an important Congress leader and held key ministerial positions, including Minister for Railways and Transport and later Home Minister of India.
• During his short tenure as Prime Minister from June 1964 to January 1966, Shastri led the country during a difficult period that included the India–Pakistan War of 1965.
• After the war, Shastri travelled to Tashkent in the Soviet Union (now in Uzbekistan) to sign a peace agreement with Pakistani President Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri died suddenly on 11 January 1966 in Tashkent, shortly after signing the Tashkent Agreement (10 January 1966).

1.2 From Shastri to Indira Gandhi

• The unexpected death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on 11 January 1966 created another challenge of political succession within the Indian National Congress.
• The Congress party had to choose a new Prime Minister, and the main contenders were Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) and Morarji Desai (1896–1995).
• Indira Gandhi, the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, had earlier served as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1959 and later as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Shastri government (1964–1966).
• Many powerful leaders of the Congress organisation, often referred to as the “Syndicate”, supported Indira Gandhi because they believed she would be more acceptable and easier to influence than Morarji Desai.
• The Syndicate included influential Congress leaders such as K. Kamaraj, S. Nijalingappa, Atulya Ghosh, S. K. Patil and N. Sanjiva Reddy.
• In the Congress Parliamentary Party election held in January 1966, Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai and became the Prime Minister of India in January 1966.
• At the time, many senior Congress leaders underestimated her political abilities and even described her as a “goongi gudiya” (dumb doll).
• However, Indira Gandhi soon emerged as a powerful and independent leader, which later led to serious conflicts within the Congress party.

2. Fourth general elections, 1967

• The Fourth General Election of India was held in February 1967 for the 4th Lok Sabha, becoming a major turning point in Indian politics.
• These elections took place during the leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had become Prime Minister in January 1966 after the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri (11 January 1966).
• The elections occurred in a difficult political and economic environment marked by economic problems, food shortages, rising prices and political dissatisfaction.
• The Indian National Congress, which had dominated politics since Independence in 1947, faced strong challenges from opposition parties for the first time in national elections.
• Several opposition parties such as the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, Praja Socialist Party and Samyukta Socialist Party actively contested the elections.
• Although the Congress party managed to form the government at the Centre in 1967, its majority was significantly reduced compared to previous elections.
• The results of the 1967 elections weakened the earlier Congress dominance and marked the beginning of a more competitive and multi-party political system in India.

2.1 Context of the elections

• The Fourth General Elections of February 1967 were held in a political environment that was very different from the earlier elections of 1952, 1957 and 1962, when the Congress party enjoyed overwhelming popularity.
• By the mid-1960s, the country faced serious economic difficulties such as food shortages, inflation, unemployment and slow economic growth, which created dissatisfaction among the public.
• India had also experienced two major wars, the India–China War of 1962 and the India–Pakistan War of 1965, which placed heavy pressure on the economy and national resources.
• The death of two national leaders in a short period — Jawaharlal Nehru on 27 May 1964 and Lal Bahadur Shastri on 11 January 1966 — also created political uncertainty within the Congress party.
• During this time, opposition parties became more organised and began forming alliances against the Congress, which increased electoral competition.
• Many political leaders and analysts believed that the 1967 elections would be the first serious test of Congress dominance in Indian politics.

2.2 Non-Congressism

• The idea of Non-Congressism was strongly advocated by Dr. Rammanohar Lohia (1910–1967), a prominent leader of the Socialist movement in India.
• Rammanohar Lohia argued that the Indian National Congress had become too powerful, and therefore all opposition parties should unite to defeat the Congress in elections.
• According to Lohia, even parties with different ideologies and political views should cooperate in elections if their main objective was to challenge Congress dominance.
• This strategy encouraged alliances among opposition parties such as the Socialist Party, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, Communist Party of India (CPI) and other regional parties.
• The idea of Non-Congressism played an important role in the 1967 general elections, where several opposition parties coordinated their efforts against the Congress party.
• As a result of this strategy, opposition parties were able to increase their electoral strength and challenge Congress dominance in many states.

2.3 Electoral verdict

• In the Fourth General Election held in February 1967, the Indian National Congress remained the largest party, but its political dominance was significantly weakened.
• The Congress won 283 seats in the Lok Sabha out of 520 seats, which was much lower than its earlier victories in the 1952, 1957 and 1962 general elections.
• Several opposition parties improved their performance in the 1967 elections, including the Swatantra Party, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Socialist parties.
• The Congress also suffered major electoral setbacks in several state assembly elections held in 1967, losing power in important states.
• Non-Congress governments were formed in states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Madras (now Tamil Nadu) and Kerala.
• The election results of 1967 marked the end of the earlier era of unquestioned Congress dominance and signalled the beginning of a more competitive multi-party political system in India.

2.4 Coalitions

• After the 1967 general elections and state assembly elections, the Indian National Congress lost its majority in several states, leading to the formation of coalition governments.
• These coalition governments were often called Samyukta Vidhayak Dal (SVD) governments, which were alliances formed by multiple opposition parties to keep the Congress out of power.
• Such coalition governments were formed in several states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh after the 1967 elections.
• These alliances brought together political parties with very different ideologies, such as the Socialists, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Communists and regional parties.
• The main objective of these coalitions was not ideological unity but opposition to the Congress party, reflecting the strategy of Non-Congressism advocated by Rammanohar Lohia.
• Although these coalition governments demonstrated the declining dominance of the Congress, many of them were politically unstable because of ideological differences among the coalition partners.

2.5 Defection

• The period after the 1967 elections witnessed widespread political defections, where elected legislators left one political party and joined another party for political advantage.
• Defections became common in many states because coalition governments were often fragile and lacked stable majorities in the legislative assemblies.
• One of the most famous examples of political defection occurred in 1967 in Haryana, involving a legislator named Gaya Lal.
• Gaya Lal, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Haryana, changed his party three times within a single day in 1967, shocking the political system.
• This incident led to the popular political phrase “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram”, which became a symbol of frequent party switching and political opportunism in Indian politics.
• The widespread problem of defections during the late 1960s and early 1970s later led to demands for legal measures to prevent such political instability.

3. Split in the Congress

• The Indian National Congress experienced a major split in 1969, which became one of the most significant political developments in Indian politics during the late 1960s.
• The conflict developed between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) and a group of powerful senior Congress leaders known as the “Syndicate.”
• The Syndicate consisted of influential party leaders such as K. Kamaraj, S. Nijalingappa, Atulya Ghosh, S. K. Patil and N. Sanjiva Reddy, who had played a major role in the internal organisation of the Congress party.
• These leaders initially supported Indira Gandhi becoming Prime Minister in January 1966, believing she would depend on the party organisation for political decisions.
• However, differences soon emerged over economic policies, leadership style and control of the Congress party, as Indira Gandhi began to assert her authority independently.
• The conflict between Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate intensified during 1969, ultimately leading to the formal division of the Congress party into two factions.
• The party split into Congress (Organisation) — Congress (O) led by leaders such as Morarji Desai, K. Kamaraj and S. Nijalingappa, and Congress (Requisitionists) — Congress (R) led by Indira Gandhi.

3.1 Indira vs. the ‘Syndicate’

• The struggle between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate leaders of the Congress party became the central political conflict in Indian politics during the late 1960s.
• The Syndicate leaders controlled the party organisation, while Indira Gandhi controlled the government, creating a power struggle within the Congress party.
• The disagreement intensified over policy decisions and leadership authority, particularly when Indira Gandhi began to pursue more radical economic policies aimed at gaining public support.
• One major decision was the nationalisation of 14 major commercial banks in July 1969, which Indira Gandhi presented as a step toward economic equality and social justice.
• This decision strengthened Indira Gandhi’s popularity among the poor and middle classes, but it deepened the conflict with the Syndicate leaders.
• The political rivalry between Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate soon reached its peak during the Presidential Election of 1969, which eventually led to the final split of the Congress party.

3.2 Presidential election, 1969

• The internal conflict within the Indian National Congress between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate leaders reached its peak during the Presidential Election of 1969.
• The election was necessitated by the death of President Dr. Zakir Husain (1897–1969) on 3 May 1969, which created a vacancy in the office of the President of India.
• The Congress organisation led by the Syndicate officially nominated Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1913–1996) as the party’s candidate for the Presidential election.
• However, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not support the Syndicate’s candidate and instead encouraged Congress Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies to support V. V. Giri (1894–1980), who contested the election as an independent candidate.
• During the election, Indira Gandhi asked Congress legislators to vote according to their “conscience” rather than following the party’s official instructions, which was a direct challenge to the authority of the Syndicate.
• In the Presidential Election held in August 1969, V. V. Giri won the election and became the President of India on 24 August 1969, defeating Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.
• This event deepened the conflict within the Congress party and eventually led to the formal split of the Congress in 1969 into Congress (O) and Congress (R).

4. Abolition of Privy Purse

• After the integration of princely states into the Indian Union between 1947 and 1949, the rulers of these states were given certain privileges and financial allowances known as “Privy Purses.”
• The Privy Purse was a payment made by the Government of India to former princes and rulers, as part of the agreement when they accepted the merger of their princely states with India.
• These payments were guaranteed by the Constitution of India, and the former rulers were also allowed to retain certain special titles and ceremonial privileges.
• Prime Minister Indira Gandhi believed that these privileges were inconsistent with the principles of equality and democracy, and therefore she decided to abolish the Privy Purse system.
• In 1970, the government introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament to abolish Privy Purses and remove the privileges of former princes.
• Although the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, it failed in the Rajya Sabha by a narrow margin in 1970, creating a political controversy.
• Later, after the 1971 general elections, the government successfully passed the 26th Constitutional Amendment in 1971, which abolished the Privy Purses and officially ended the special privileges of former princely rulers.

5. The 1971 elections and restoration of Congress

• After the split in the Indian National Congress in 1969, two factions emerged: Congress (Organisation) or Congress (O) led by leaders such as Morarji Desai, K. Kamaraj and S. Nijalingappa, and Congress (Requisitionists) or Congress (R) led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• The political conflict between these two factions became the central issue in the Fifth General Election held in March 1971 for the 5th Lok Sabha.
• Indira Gandhi and Congress (R) presented themselves as the true representatives of the Congress legacy and the champions of the poor, while the Congress (O) leaders were portrayed as representing the old conservative leadership.
• The elections took place in a highly competitive political environment where several opposition parties formed an alliance known as the “Grand Alliance.”
• The Grand Alliance included parties such as Congress (O), Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, Samyukta Socialist Party and Praja Socialist Party, which united mainly to defeat Indira Gandhi.
• The election campaign became one of the most intense political contests in Indian electoral history, focusing heavily on economic issues, poverty and political leadership.

5.1 The contest

• The 1971 general election campaign was centred around the powerful political slogan “Garibi Hatao” (Remove Poverty) introduced by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• Through this slogan, Indira Gandhi and Congress (R) attempted to gain the support of poor people, landless labourers, urban workers and marginalised sections of society.
• In contrast, the Grand Alliance of opposition parties mainly focused on criticising Indira Gandhi’s leadership and government policies, rather than presenting a clear alternative development programme.
• Many voters viewed the election as a direct contest between Indira Gandhi and the opposition alliance, rather than a competition among several political parties.
• The campaign emphasised issues such as poverty reduction, economic reforms, social justice and political leadership, which helped Indira Gandhi project herself as a strong and decisive leader.
• As a result, the 1971 elections became one of the most important political battles between the ruling Congress faction and a united opposition.

5.2 The outcome and after

• In the Fifth General Election held in March 1971, Congress (R) led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi achieved a massive electoral victory.
• Congress (R) won 352 seats out of 518 seats in the Lok Sabha, securing a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
• The Grand Alliance, which included parties such as Congress (O), Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, Samyukta Socialist Party and Praja Socialist Party, performed very poorly in the elections.
• The election results strengthened the political authority of Indira Gandhi, allowing her to consolidate control over the Congress party and the central government.
• After the election victory in 1971, the government introduced several pro-poor policies and reforms, which further strengthened Indira Gandhi’s political popularity.
• The victory of Congress (R) in the 1971 elections marked the decline of the old Congress leadership represented by Congress (O) and confirmed Indira Gandhi’s dominance in Indian politics.

5.3 Restoration?

• The 1971 election victory of Congress (R) under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appeared to restore the dominant position of the Congress party in Indian politics, similar to the earlier dominance during the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964).
• However, the nature of Congress dominance after 1971 was different from the earlier Congress system of the 1950s and early 1960s.
• The earlier Congress dominance was based on a broad organisational structure and collective leadership, whereas after 1971 the party became more centralised around the leadership of Indira Gandhi.
• Political competition during this period became more personalised, focusing on individual leadership rather than internal party consensus.
• The political developments after 1969 and the elections of 1971 showed that the Congress system had undergone major transformation, and the party’s dominance now depended largely on the popularity and authority of Indira Gandhi.
• These changes marked the end of the original Congress system and the beginning of a new phase in Indian politics during the 1970s.

NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 provides a detailed understanding of the transformation of Indian politics during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Studying NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 helps students understand how Congress dominance was challenged and how political competition increased in the democratic system.

A detailed study of NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 also highlights the significance of events such as the 1967 general elections, the Congress split of 1969 and the 1971 general elections. These developments strengthened democratic politics in India and reshaped the structure of political competition. Understanding NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 is important for CBSE board exams and competitive exams such as UPSC and BPSC, where questions related to party systems, elections and political leadership frequently appear.

Continue reading NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 6 – The Crisis of Democratic Order to understand the political developments that led to the Emergency declared on 25 June 1975 and its impact on Indian democracy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 about?
NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 explains the political developments in India during the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the 1967 elections, split in the Congress party in 1969 and the restoration of Congress power in the 1971 elections.

Q2. Why is NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 important for exams?
NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5 is important because it explains major events such as the Fourth General Election of 1967, Congress split of 1969 and abolition of Privy Purse in 1971, which are frequently asked in CBSE and competitive exams like UPSC and BPSC.

Q3. When did the Congress party split according to NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5?
According to NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5, the Congress party split in 1969 into Congress (Organisation) and Congress (Requisitionists) due to conflicts between Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate leaders.

Q4. What was the significance of the 1967 general elections mentioned in NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5?
The 1967 general elections weakened the dominance of the Congress party and led to the formation of non-Congress governments in several states, marking a turning point in Indian politics.

Q5. What was the Privy Purse mentioned in NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5?
In NCERT Class 12 Indian Polity Chapter 5, Privy Purse refers to the financial allowances given to former rulers of princely states, which were abolished through the 26th Constitutional Amendment in 1971.

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