IGNOUMATIC

The Congress system in India, often referred to as the “Congress dominance” or the “Congress system of politics,” refers to the period between 1947 and the early 1970s when the Indian National Congress (INC) was the dominant political party in India. The Congress party played a central role in India’s independence movement and, after independence, continued to dominate the country’s political landscape. However, several factors contributed to the breakdown of the Congress system, particularly after the 1960s. This shift marked the beginning of a more fragmented and competitive party system in Indian politics.

1. Internal Conflicts and Factionalism within the Congress Party

One of the key factors contributing to the breakdown of the Congress system was the internal factionalism within the party. The Congress party, despite being the largest and most powerful political force, was never a monolithic entity. Internal rivalries between different factions, often centered around leaders from different regions, ideologies, and social groups, created a lack of unity.

• Leadership Struggles: After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, the Congress party faced a leadership vacuum. The absence of a charismatic and unifying leader like Nehru led to internal struggles over leadership. Indira Gandhi, Nehru’s daughter, emerged as a central figure but faced opposition from within the party, particularly from veteran leaders like Morarji Desai and K. Kamaraj. These internal divisions weakened the party’s cohesion and stability.
• Rise of Regional Leaders: The dominance of regional leaders within the Congress also contributed to factionalism. These leaders often prioritized regional issues over national concerns, which led to a lack of coordination within the party.

2. Emergence of New Political Forces and Regional Parties

The breakdown of the Congress system was also facilitated by the rise of new political forces and regional parties that began to challenge the Congress party’s dominance. The political landscape in India became more diverse, with regional parties asserting their influence and forming alliances that weakened the Congress.

• Regional Assertions: In the 1960s and 1970s, several regions in India began to experience significant political mobilization around regional issues, leading to the formation of regional parties. In states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, local leaders and parties began to assert their independence from the Congress. For example, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu and the All India Forward Bloc in West Bengal became powerful regional forces that challenged the Congress party.
• Resurgence of Non-Congress Parties: The 1960s saw the emergence of strong opposition parties, such as the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the Socialist Party, and the Communist Party of India (CPI). These parties gained popularity by positioning themselves as alternatives to the Congress, offering a critique of Congress policies and governance.
• Formation of the Janata Party: In 1977, following the Emergency (1975-77) imposed by Indira Gandhi, opposition parties united under the Janata Party, which emerged as a major challenge to the Congress party. The Janata Party’s victory in the 1977 elections signified the first major defeat for the Congress at the national level and marked a turning point in Indian politics.

3. The Decline of the Congress Party’s Ideological Appeal

The Congress party’s ideological appeal began to diminish during the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily due to changing political, social, and economic conditions in India. Initially, the Congress had a broad-based ideology that appealed to a wide section of Indian society, promoting secularism, socialism, and democratic principles. However, as India modernized, the party’s traditional ideology appeared increasingly out of touch with the changing needs of society.

• Shift in Economic Policy: The Congress party’s early socialist policies, including land reforms, nationalization of industries, and the promotion of public sector enterprises, were increasingly criticized for their failure to address the needs of the rural population and the growing middle class. The green revolution, which brought agricultural growth, benefitted large landowners, further alienating the party from the poorer sections of society. The economic policies of the 1960s and 1970s, including a focus on centralization, created dissatisfaction among various sections of society.
• Discontent with Centralization: The increasing centralization of power under Indira Gandhi led to discontent among the states, particularly among regional parties and state leaders. The Congress’s failure to address regional aspirations further weakened its base and contributed to the rise of regional political movements.

4. The Emergency (1975-77)

The imposition of the Emergency in 1975 was a critical factor in the breakdown of the Congress system. Indira Gandhi’s decision to declare a state of emergency, citing internal disturbances, led to the suspension of civil liberties, the press, and political opposition. The move was widely criticized as authoritarian and led to the alienation of many segments of Indian society, including intellectuals, the judiciary, and political activists.

• Opposition Mobilization: The Emergency united opposition forces, leading to the formation of a broad-based coalition under the Janata Party, which eventually emerged as a viable alternative to the Congress. The Janata Party’s victory in the 1977 elections marked the end of Congress dominance and the beginning of a multi-party system in Indian politics.
• Loss of Popular Support: The Emergency led to widespread repression, including the forced sterilization campaigns and other measures that angered the public. This drastically eroded the Congress’s image as a party of democracy and progress, weakening its influence in the long run.

5. The Role of Indira Gandhi’s Leadership

Indira Gandhi’s leadership played a pivotal role in both the consolidation and subsequent breakdown of the Congress system. While her leadership initially helped the Congress maintain its dominance, her increasingly autocratic style contributed to the party’s decline in the 1970s.

• Authoritarian Tendencies: Indira Gandhi’s concentration of power, particularly after the 1969 split in the Congress, alienated many veteran leaders and party members. Her approach to governance, marked by centralization and the weakening of internal party democracy, made her unpopular among the old guard within the party and led to factionalism.
• The Congress Split of 1969: The split in the Congress party in 1969 between the ‘old Congress’ led by Indira Gandhi and the ‘Syndicate’ faction, which included senior leaders like K. Kamaraj and Morarji Desai, marked the first signs of fragmentation. This internal division weakened the Congress party’s ability to maintain its unified control over the Indian political system.

6. The Impact of Electoral Shifts and the Rise of Opposition Coalitions

The Congress system began to break down as a result of shifting electoral patterns. The post-1970s era saw the fragmentation of the vote base, with new political formations and opposition coalitions gaining ground.

• Decline in the Congress Vote Share: In the 1970s and 1980s, the Congress party’s vote share began to decline, especially in urban and rural areas. This was partly due to the rise of regional parties and the increased competition from opposition groups that appealed to specific regional or ideological constituencies.
• Emergence of Coalition Politics: The decline of Congress dominance gave rise to coalition politics. The Janata Party’s success in the 1977 elections demonstrated that multi-party coalitions could challenge the Congress at the national level. The increasing fragmentation of the Congress vote bank led to the need for broader alliances between opposition parties.

Conclusion

The breakdown of the Congress system was a result of multiple interrelated factors, including internal factionalism, the rise of regional parties, ideological shifts, authoritarian leadership, the imposition of the Emergency, and the increasing polarization of Indian politics. The breakdown marked the end of the Congress party’s dominance and the beginning of a new era of coalition politics and multi-party competition in India. The decline of Congress dominance also highlighted the dynamic and evolving nature of Indian democracy, where no single party could maintain a monopoly on political power for an extended period.