Challenges To and Restoration of Congress System: Textbook Questions Solved
Challenges To and Restoration of Congress System: Textbook Questions Solved
System
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED
1. Which of these statements about the 1967 elections is/are correct?
(a) Congress won the Lok Sabha elections but lost the Assembly elections in many states.
(b) Congress lost both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
(c) Congress lost majority in the Lok Sabha but formed a coalition government with the s upport
of some other parties.
(d) Congress retained power at the Centre with an increased majority. Ans. (a) Congress won the
Lok Sabha elections but lost the Assembly elections in many states.
Answer: (a) Congress won the Lok Sabha elections but lost the Assembly elections in many states.
(c) Congress lost majority in the Lok Sabha but formed a coalition government with the support of
some other parties.
4. Which of the following statement about the Grand Alliance of 1971 is correct? The Grand
Alliance …
(а) was formed by non-Communist, non-Congress parties.
(b) had a clear political and ideological programme.
(c) was formed by all non-Congress parties.
Answer: (a) was formed by non-Communist, non-Congress parties.
5. How should a political party resolve its internal differences? Here are some suggestions. Think
of each and list out their advantages and shortcomings?
6. State which of these were reasons for the defeat of the Congress in 1967. Give
reasons for your answer?
(a) The absence of a charismatic leader in the Congress party.
(b) Split within the Congress party.
(c) Increased mobilisation of regional, ethnic and communal groups.
(d) Increasing unity among non¬Congress parties.
(e) Internal differences within the Congress party.
Answer: (a) It may not be the reason of the defeat of Congress party. Because there were so many
experienced and charismatic leaders in the party.
(b) It was one of the main reasons of the defeat of Congress party. Now party was split into two
groups. Syndicate had strong hold over the Congress party while Indira supporters were more
inclined to their leader. One group was in support of capitalism and liberalisation while others
opposed it.
(c) Due to the emergence of the Akali Dal in Punjab, D.M.K. in Tamil Nadu got and other regional
parties, Congress setback. The party could not get majority at the centre and had to be deprived of
power in various states.
(d) There was no unity among non¬Congress parties. So the non¬Congress parties got benefit in
other provinces.
(e) Internal differences within the party were one of the major causes of its defeat.
7. What were the factors which led to the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s Government in the early
1970s?
Answer: Because:
1. Socialist credentials became main projects during this period.
2. Indira Gandhi campaigned to implement land reform legislations and land ceiling legislations.
3. She ended her dependence on other
political parties by strengthening her party’s position and recommended the dissolution of Lok
Sabha in December’ 1970.
4. The crisis in East Pakistan and Indo- Pak war to establish Bangladesh as an independent one,
8. What does the term ‘syndicate’ mean in the context of the Congress party of the . sixties? What
role did the Syndicate play in the Congress party?
Answer: Syndicate was a group of powerful and influential leaders from within the Congress:
1. Syndicate was led by K. Kamraj, former chief minister of Tamilnadu and the then president of
Congress party. It also includes some powerful leaders like S.K. Patil, S. Nijalingappa, N. Sanjeeva
Reddy and Atulya Ghosh.
2. In the sixties, Syndicate played a decisive role by installing both Lai Bahadur Shastri and Indira
Gandhi as a Prime Minister.
3. Syndicate played decisive say in Indira Gandhi’s first council of Ministers and formation and
implementation of policies.
4. After a split, two groups in Congress were created i.e. Congress (O), led by Syndicate and
Congress (R), led by Indira Gandhi.
5. Congress (R), won popularity after 1971 and Syndicate lost power and prestige.
9. Discuss the major issue which led to the formal split of the Congress Party in 1969.
Answer: The formal split in Congress took place in 1969 on the issue of nomination of the candidate
during presidential elections:
1. Despite, Indira Gandhi’s reservations, the Syndicate nominated Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, as the
official Congress candidate for ensuing Presidential elections.
2. Indira Gandhi retaliated the situation by encouraging Mr. V.V. Giri, the then Vice-President, to be
nominated as an independent candidate.
3. During election, the then Congress President S. Nijalingappa issued a whip asking all Congress
MPs. MLAs to vote for N. Sanjeeva Reddy.
4. On the other hand, after silently supporting V.V. Giri, the Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi openly
called for a conscience vote to vote the way they want.
5. Elections went in favour of V.V. Giri due to this diplomatic effort and N. Sanjeeva Reddy was
defeated.
6. The defeat of N. Sanjeeva Reddy, the formal Congress candidate, formalised the split of party into
two:
(a) Congress (O), i.e. organisation
led by syndicate, known as Old Congress.
(b) Congress (R) i.e. requisitionists led by Indira Gandhi, known as New Congress.
2. Who represented Congress (O) and Congress (R) after the split of Congress Party?
Answer: Congress (O) was represented by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and the
then President of Congress Party whereas Congress (R) was led by Indira Gandhi.
4. In 1966, who contested against Indira Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister from among
Congress MPs?
Answer: Morarji Desai, earlier Chief Minister of Bombay State.
5. What was the Slogan of Indira Gandhi during the elections of 1971?
Answer: ‘Garibi Hatao’.
6. After the death of Lai Bahadur Shastri which two leaders of Congress Party contested against
each other to become leader of Congress parliamentary party?
Answer: Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi.
8. Which theoretical argument did Ram j Manohar Lohia give in defence on non- Congressism?
Answer: “Congress rule was undemocratic and opposed to the interest of ordinary poor people,
10. When and where was the first non- j Congress state government formed after India’s
independence?
Answer: Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in 1967.
ll. Why are the results of 1967 elections in India called Political Earthquake?
Answer: Because it jolted the Congress at both the central and state levels as Congress did not get
majority in Congress ruled states.
12. What challenges were faced by India between 1964 to 1966 during Prime- ministership of Lai
Bahadur Shastri?
Answer: 1. Economic crisis due to Indo-China War 1962 and Indo-Pak War 1965.
2. Failed Monsoons, drought, serious food crisis presented a grave challenge.
2. Why did senior Congress leader support Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister after the death of Lai
Bahadur Shastri?
Answer: Because:
1. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru and she had been Congress president in the
past and had also been Union Minister for Information in Shastri Cabinet.
2. The senior leaders presumed that her administrative and political inexperience would compel her
to dependent on them for support and guidance.
4. Why did Indira Gandhi government devalue the Indian Rupee in 1967?
Answer: Indira Gandhi government devalued Indian rupee to check economic crisis of 1967.
Consequently, one US dollar could be purchased for less than ? 5 after devaluation, it cost more than
? 7.
1. The economic situation triggered a price rise.
2. People started protest against increase in prices of essential commodities and unemployment
etc.
3. The Communist and Socialist parties launched struggle to avail greater equality.
3. Why was the year 1967 considered a landmark year in India’s political and electoral history?
Explain.
Answer: The fourth general election was held in 1967 for the first time without Nehru:
1. The election verdict was not in favour of Congress and results jolted the Congress both at the
national and state levels.
2. Half the ministers in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet were defeated including K. Kamraj in Tamilnadu, S.K.
Patil in Maharashtra, Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal, K.B. Sahay in Bihar.
3. Congress did not lose majority in seven states only but two other states also prevented it to form
government due to defections.
4. For the first time any non-Congress party secured majority in any state and in other eight states
different non-Congress parties formed the coalitions.
4. These election results were called as a ‘Political Earthquake’.4. How can we see re-emergence
of Indira Gandhi to power in 1971?
Answer: Congress (R) under Indira Gandhi had an issue, an agenda and a positive slogan which was
lacked by its opponents. The ‘Grand Alliance’ had only one common i programme ‘Indira Hatao’:
1. In contrast to this, Indira Gandhi put forward a positive slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’.
2. By this, she generated a support base among poor, minorities, landless labourers, dalit, women
and unemployed youth.
3. Except it, she focused on the growth of public sector, imposition of ceiling on rural land holdings
and urban property, removal of disparity etc.
4. Thus, the slogan of Garibi Hatao and programmes became the part of Indira Gandhi’s political
strategy of building an independent nationwide political support base during the electoral contest of
1971.
5. What is meant by ‘Privy Purses’? Why did Indira Gandhi insist on abolishing them in 1970?
Answer:‘Privy Purses’ was the form of grant in heredity given to the rulers and their families:
1. The grant or ‘Privy Purse’ was measured on the basis of extent revenue and potential of the
merging state in the assurance given at the time of integration of princely states.
2. Privy purses were criticised, the privileges given to princely states at the time of accession,
integration and consolidation were protested.
3. Hence, some leaders like Indira Gandhi insisted on abolishing the privy purses because hereditary
privileges were not constant with the principle of equality, social and economic justice laid down in
the constitution.
4. Hence in the elections of 1971, Indira Gandhi made this a major election issue and got a lot of
public support
and alongwith massive victory in 1971 election, the constitution was amended to remove legal
obstacles for abolition of privy purses.
2. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
The defeat of the official Congress candidate formalised the split in the party. The Congress
President expelled the Prime Minister from the party; she claimed that her group was the real
3. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
But does it mean that the Congress system was restored? What Indira Gandhi had done was not a
revival of the old Congress party. In many ways she had re-invented the party. The party occupied
a similar position in terms of its popularity as in the past. But it was a different kind of a party. It
relied entirely on the popularity of the supreme leader. It had a somewhat weak organisational
structure. This
Congress party now did not have many fanctions ,Thus it could not accommodate all kind of
options and interests .While it won elections,it depends more on some social groups: the poor,
the women,Dalits, Adivasis and the minorities.It was a new congress system by changing the
nature of the congress system itself.
Questions
1. Had Indira Gandhi revived Congress?
2. How did Indira Gandhi restore the Congress system?
3. Why did Congress not have all kinds of opinions and interests?
Answer:
1. No, whatever had been done by Indira Gandhi, was not a revival of old Congress system but it was
a re¬invention of party.
2. Indira Gandhi restored the Congress system changing the nature of Congress system itself, to be
dependent more on poor, women, dalits, adivasis and minorities.
3. It had a somewhat weak organisational structure and it did not have many factions also to
accommodate all kinds of opinions and interests.
2. Examine the three main reasons responsible for the split in Congress during 1969.
Or
Describe the various aspects of presidential election of 1969.
Answer: The formal split in Congress took place in 1969 on the issue of nomination of the candidate
during presidential elections:
1. Despite, Indira Gandhi’s representatives, the syndicate nominated Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, as the
official Congress candidate for ensuring presidential elections.
2. Indira Gandhi retaliated the situation by encouraging Mr. V.V. Giri, the then Vice President, to be
nominated as an independent candidate.
3. During election, the then Congress president S. Nijalingappa issue a ‘Whip’ asking all Congress
MPs, MLAs to vote for N. Sanjeeva Reddy.
4. On the other hand, after silently supporting V.V. Giri, the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi openly called
for a conscience vote to vote the way they want.
5. Elections went in favour of V.V. Giri due to this diplomatic effort and N. Sanjeeva Reddy was
defeated.
6. The defeat of N. Sanjeeva Reddy, the formal Congress candidate, formalised the split of party into
two:
(a) Congress (0) i.e organisation led by Syndicate, known as Old Congress.
(b) Congress (R) i.e. requisitionists led by Indira Gandhi, known as New Congress.
3. Which six factors contributed to the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s government in the decade of
1970s?
Answer: Because:
1. Socialist credentials became main projects during this period.
2. Indira Gandhi campaigned to implement land reform legislation and land ceiling legislations.
3. She ended her dependence on other political parties by strengthening her party’s position and
recommended the dissolution of Lok Sabha in December 1970.
4. The crisis in East Pakistan and Indo- Pak war to establish Bangladesh as an independent one,
also enhanced the popularity of Indira Gandhi.
5. Indira Gandhi and her government was not accepted only as a protector of the poor and under
privileged but as a strong government also.
6. Congress became popular among different social sections and restored dominance again.
4. Examine the grave economic crisis prior to fourth general election of 1967. Assess the
electoral verdict also.
Answer: Indira Gandhi government devalued Indian rupee to check economic crisis of 1967.
Consequently, one US dollar could be purchased for less than ? 5 after devaluation, it cost more than
? 7.
Questions
1. What is meant by ‘Keep Right, No Left Turn”?
2. In the picture what does the following stand for:
(а) LD (b) BKS
(c) SSP (d) BKD
3. What is a hung assembly?
Answer:
1. United Front Party was formed on the basis of non-Communist ideology and supposed to follow
the ‘rightist’ only.
2. (a) Lok Dal
(b) Bihar Kranti Sabha
(c) Samyukt Socialist Party (d) Bharatiya Kranti Dal
3. It is dominated by coalition government where no single party gets majority and this is very
uncertain also.
Questions
1. Which year is being referred by cartoon?
2. Who is being commented by the phrase ‘Aya Ram Gaya Ram’?
Answer:
1. 1967
2. Haryana’s MLA ‘Gaya LaP who changed the party thrice in a fortnight from Congress to United
Front, back to Congress and then within nine hours to United Front again.
Questions
1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. Identify the lady in the cartoon and give reason for her pleasure.
3. Identify the person wearing garland in winning position.
4. Who is lying on the ground?
Answer:
1. Presidential elections of 1969.
2. Indira Gandhi on winning of her candidate V.V. Giri in presidential elections.
3. V.V. Giri.
4. N. Sanjeeva Reddy.