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Saturday, March 25, 2017

40th Anniversary of the first Non -Congress Govt at the Centre March 24,1977 - March 24,2017

March 16 - 19,1977 - Election to the 6th Lok Sabha
March 20,1977        - Janata Party wins the polls securing 294 seats
March 21,1977        -Indira Gandhi Resigns as PM
March 24,1977        - Moraji Desai Sworn in as PM by the actin President B D Jatty

July 15,1979           - Moraji Desai Resigns as PM

July 28,1979           - Charan Singh Home Minister & Dy PM sworn in as PM

The first actions taken by the Janata Party Govt led by Moraji Desai was to formally end the state of emergency and media censorship and repeal the controversial executive decrees issued during the Emergency

The Morarji Desai Government proceeded to establish inquiry commissions and tribunals to investigate allegations of corruption and human rights abuses by members of Indira Gandhi's government, political party and the police forces. Specific inquiries were instituted on Sanjay Gandhi's management of the state-owned Maruti Udyog Ltd

Despite a strong start, the Janata Govt began to wither as significant ideological and political divisions emerged

The party consisted of veteran socialists, trade unionists and pro-business leaders, making major economic reforms difficult to achieve without triggering a public divide

Socialists and secular Janata politicians shared an aversion to the Hindu nationalist agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, whose members included Vajpayee, Advani and other leaders from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Violence between Hindus and Muslims led to further confrontations within the Janata party, with most Janata leaders demanding that A B Vajpayee and L K Advani choose between staying in government and being members of the RSS

Both Vajpayee and Advani as well as other members of the former BJS opted to remain members of the RSS and consequently resigned from their posts and from the party.

Through 1979, support for Morarji Desai had declined considerably due to worsening economic conditions as well as the emergence of allegations of nepotism and corruption involving members of his family. Desai's confrontational attitude eroded his support.

Moraji Desai's  main rival Charan Singh had developed an acrimonious relationship with Desai.[16]Protesting Desai's leadership, Singh resigned and withdrew the support of his BLD. Desai also lost the support of the secular and socialist politicians in the party, who saw him as favouring the Hindu nationalist BJS

On  July 19,1979 Desai resigned from the government 

President Reddy appointed Charan Singh as the Prime Minister of a minority government on the strength of 64 MPs, calling upon him to form a new government and prove his majority.

 The departure of Desai and the BJS had considerably diminished Janata's majority, and numerous Janata MPs refused to support Charan Singh. 

MPs loyal to Jagjivan Ram withdrew themselves from the Janata party.

 Former allies such as the DMK, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had distanced themselves from the Janata party. Desperately seeking enough support for a majority, Charan Singh even sought to negotiate with Congress (I), which refused. 

After only three weeks in office, Charan Singh resigned. 

With no other political party in position to establish a majority government, President Reddy dissolved the Parliament and called fresh elections for January 1980

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