Split in the Congress

After the 1967 elections, Congress retained power in the Centre but lost power in many states. The results showed Congress could be defeated in elections, but no substitutes were available. Non-Congress coalition governments often lost majority, leading to new combinations or President’s rule.

Indira vs. the ‘Syndicate’

Indira Gandhi faced a challenge from within her own party, the’syndicate’, which had installed her as Prime Minister and had expected her to follow their advice. Gandhi sought to assert her position within the government and the party, choosing advisers from outside the party. She sidelined the Syndicate slowly, aiming to build independence and regain lost ground.

Gandhi adopted a bold strategy, turning a power struggle into an ideological struggle. She launched initiatives to give government policy a Left orientation, such as the Ten Point Programme in May 1967. Despite the syndicate leaders’ reservations, the program included social control of banks, nationalization of General Insurance, urban property ceilings, public distribution of food grains, land reforms, and provision of house sites to the rural poor.

Presidential Election, 1969

In 1969, the factional rivalry between the Syndicate and Indira Gandhi emerged in India after President Zakir Hussain’s death. The Syndicate nominates N. Sanjeeva Reddy as the official Congress candidate, while Indira Gandhi encourages V.V. Giri to file his nomination as an independent candidate. Both parties announced policy measures, such as nationalizing private banks and abolishing the privy purse.

Deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai left the government due to differences with the Prime Minister. The Congress President, S. Nijalingappa, issued a “whip” to vote in favor of Reddy, while Indira Gandhi’s supporters called for a “conscience vote” to allow Congress MPs and MLAs to vote their way. The election resulted in Giri’s victory and Reddy’s defeat, formalizing a party split. The two parties were also known as Old Congress and New Congress, with Indira Gandhi presenting the split as an ideological divide between socialists and conservatives.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System looks into the complicated mechanics of India’s Congress System, analyzing its struggles and final restoration. The Congress System, defined by the Indian National Congress party’s dominance in the political landscape following independence, faced many difficulties and disturbances. This chapter explores the evolution of the Congress System, the rise of new political forces, and the measures used to regain its dominance in the face of shifting political perspectives. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the complexity of Indian politics during this critical period.

It is an important chapter in the Political Science Class 12. Students can go through this article to get comprehensive notes on the topic Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System.