Political Instability 1996-98: Vajpayee, Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral
Modern History › India After Nehru · Topic 32.9
The 1996 election gave no party a majority. Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed a BJP government in May 1996 that lasted thirteen days, the United Front under H.D. Deve Gowda governed with Congress support until April 1997, and I.K. Gujral then led it until November 1997, giving the Gujral Doctrine of five principles for neighbours. The 1998 election again produced a hung House, confirming the era of coalitions.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · India After Nehru
At a Glance
- Vajpayee Thirteen days, May 1996
- Deve Gowda United Front, June 1996 to April 1997
- I.K. Gujral Sworn in 21 April 1997; Congress withdrew support 28 November 1997
- 1998 election February-March; BJP largest, hung House
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: India After Nehru
Where Does It Fit?
This is the ninth topic of the category on India after Nehru. The previous topic covered the Narasimha Rao years. This topic covers the unstable governments of 1996-98. The next topic covers the NDA years of Vajpayee. Previous topic: The Narasimha Rao Years: Economic Reform and Panchayati Raj.
What Did the 1996 Elections Produce?
The years from 1996 to 1999 saw three Prime Ministers and quick changes of government. The BJP won its largest tally so far in 1996 but, even with allies, was far from a majority. The National Front emerged as a contender with the agenda of replacing the Congress or the BJP. Strong regional parties showed no interest in allying with any of the three main contenders. The vote and the figures are in The Narasimha Rao Years: Economic Reform and Panchayati Raj.
Why Did Vajpayee’s First Government Last Only Thirteen Days?
As the largest party, the BJP was invited to form the government by President Shankar Dayal Sharma. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was chosen leader and became Prime Minister in May 1996, replacing Narasimha Rao. But the party found no allies, and Vajpayee resigned after thirteen days rather than lose a confidence vote. The Congress, the second largest party, declined to form a government.
What Did the United Front Governments Do?
The United Front, composed of some 13 parties including the National Front, the Tamil Maanila Congress, the DMK and the Asom Gana Parishad, and led by H.D. Deve Gowda, formed the government with outside support from the Congress. The Communists later joined it. During its short tenure the government signed an agreement on confidence building measures with China and the Ganga water accord with Bangladesh, and it maintained its refusal to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. It fell in April 1997 when the Congress withdrew support. To avoid elections the Congress agreed to support a new leader, and the United Front elected I.K. Gujral, who was sworn in on 21 April 1997.
| Principle of the Gujral Doctrine | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | With neighbours such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka, India does not ask for reciprocity but gives all it can in good faith and trust |
| 2 | No South Asian country will allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country of the region |
| 3 | None will interfere in the internal affairs of another |
| 4 | All South Asian countries must respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty |
| 5 | All will settle their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations |
I.K. Gujral is best known for this doctrine, which sought friendship on the basis of sovereign equality and non-interference with India’s neighbours. Critics have pointed out that it may not work to rely on inherent goodwill when neighbours are openly hostile. The older neighbourhood policy is in India and Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Why Did the Gujral Government Fall?
Gujral kept good relations with the Congress, but the trouble came from within the United Front. The Governor of Bihar allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take up a corruption case, the fodder scam, against the Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Yadav refused to resign even when Gujral told him to, and left the party in July 1997 to form the Rashtriya Janata Dal, which continued to support the United Front. The government recommended President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh, then under Kalyan Singh of the BJP, after violence in the assembly, but President K.R. Narayanan sent the proposal back for reconsideration and an Allahabad High Court decision also went against it. The Jain Commission, which had inquired into the conspiracy aspects of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, reported, and the government tabled the report in Parliament in November. It criticised the DMK for tacitly supporting the Tamil militants accused in the assassination. The Congress demanded that the DMK ministers be dropped, Gujral refused, and the Congress withdrew support on 28 November 1997. Gujral resigned and continued as caretaker Prime Minister until the next government took over. The cause of the assassination is in The Rajiv Gandhi Years, 1984-89.
What Did the 1998 Elections Show?
The elections of February-March 1998 were the fourth time since 1989 that a parliamentary election produced a hung House, showing that the era of coalitions was established. Sonia Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi’s widow, entered the campaign for the Congress. The BJP again came first without a majority, but this time it had formed alliances with regional parties from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal, which increased its tally and attracted post-poll allies. As an analytical point, the period 1989-98 shows a pattern of minority and coalition governments, with each of the three main groupings, the Congress, the BJP and the Janata family of parties, unable to win a majority alone, and with regional parties holding the balance. The government that followed is in NDA Years: Pokhran II, Lahore Summit and Kargil War.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Sequence of governments Order and dates are common Prelims facts
- Gujral Doctrine Five principles are a frequent question
- Coalition era A GS Paper 2 theme
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the NDA government of Vajpayee, Pokhran II, the Lahore Summit and the Kargil War. Next topic: NDA Years: Pokhran II, Lahore Summit and Kargil War.
Key People and Terms
- United Front Coalition of about 13 parties in 1996
- Gujral Doctrine Five principles on neighbours
- Hung House Lok Sabha with no majority party
- Jain Commission Inquiry into the Rajiv Gandhi assassination conspiracy
- Rashtriya Janata Dal Party formed by Lalu Prasad Yadav in July 1997
- Fodder scam Corruption case in Bihar
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Vajpayee’s first term: thirteen days, May 1996.
- Deve Gowda to April 1997; Gujral sworn in 21 April 1997.
- Congress withdrew support 28 November 1997.
- RJD formed July 1997.
- Five principles of the Gujral Doctrine.
Do Not Confuse With
- United Front and National Front 1996 coalition that included the National Front versus the 1989 grouping
- Gujral Doctrine and Panchsheel Neighbourhood principles of 1997 versus principles of 1954
- 1996 and 1998 elections First Vajpayee ministry fell in thirteen days; second began in March 1998
Memory Hook
Thirteen days, two Prime Ministers from the United Front, and a hung House again.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the causes of instability and the Gujral Doctrine. These points add depth.
- Fragmentation Regional parties
- Governments Three in two years
- Doctrine Neighbours without reciprocity
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why was the period from 1996 to 1998 marked by political instability, and what was the Gujral Doctrine?”
How to Answer
- Mandate Hung House.
- Governments Three ministries.
- Doctrine Five principles.
- Conclude Coalition era.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Vajpayee resign in 1996?
The BJP, invited as the largest party, found no allies and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who became Prime Minister in May 1996, resigned after thirteen days rather than lose a confidence vote in the Lok Sabha, as the Congress declined to form a government.
Who headed the United Front governments?
H.D. Deve Gowda headed the United Front of about 13 parties with Congress outside support, and when the Congress withdrew in April 1997, I.K. Gujral became Prime Minister on 21 April 1997 with its support until November.
What is the Gujral Doctrine?
It is a policy of friendship with neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality and non-interference, with five principles: no reciprocity from smaller neighbours, no use of territory against another, non-interference, respect for sovereignty and integrity, and peaceful bilateral settlement of disputes.
Why did the Gujral government fall?
After the Jain Commission report was tabled in November 1997 criticising the DMK, the Congress demanded the dismissal of DMK ministers, Gujral refused, and the Congress withdrew support on 28 November 1997, so he resigned.
What did the 1998 elections show?
They produced a hung House for the fourth time since 1989, with the BJP largest after allying with regional parties, which indicated that the era of coalitions had been established in Indian politics, with regional parties holding the balance.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The first Vajpayee government in 1996 lasted thirteen days.
He resigned before a confidence vote.
2 H.D. Deve Gowda led the United Front government from outside support of the BJP.
The Congress gave outside support.
3 I.K. Gujral gave the doctrine of five principles for dealing with neighbours.
It was called the Gujral Doctrine.
4 Lalu Prasad Yadav formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal in July 1997.
He left the Janata Dal after the fodder case.
5 The 1998 election produced a majority for a single party.
It produced a hung House.
Related Topics
Browse the full Modern History index