Era of one-party dominance — Important Questions

Legacy of the freedom struggle, Well-organized party structure, Charismatic leadership of Nehru, Coalition nature accommodating diverse groups

Congress dominance was due to multiple factors: its inheritance of the freedom struggle legacy, extensive organizational network, Nehru's popularity, and its ability to accommodate diverse groups and interests. Military support was not a factor as India remained democratic.

Separate ballot boxes for each candidate

In the first election, separate ballot boxes were placed for each candidate with their election symbols. Voters dropped blank ballot papers into the box of their chosen candidate. About 2 million steel boxes were used for this purpose.

Kerala

In 1957, the Communist Party of India won the largest number of seats in Kerala's assembly elections and formed the government under E.M.S. Namboodiripad. This was the first time anywhere in the world that a Communist party came to power through democratic elections.

A period when Congress acted as both ruling party and opposition

The 'Congress System' refers to the period when political competition took place within the Congress party through various factions. Since the party accommodated diverse groups and ideologies, it functioned as both the ruling party and the opposition.