Recent developments in Indian politics

Arrange the events by date:

1. Assassination of Indira Gandhi — 1984
2. Formation of Janata Dal — 1988
3. Implementation of the recommendation of the Mandal Commission — 1990
4. Formation of the NDA government — 1998
5. Formation of the UPA government — 2004
6. Supreme Court judgment on the Ram Janmabhoomi — 2019

So the chronological order is d, b, a, e, f, c.

Match each item with the correct description:

- Politics of Consensus → Agreement on Economic policies
- Caste based parties → Rise of OBCs
- Personal Law and Gender Justice → Shah Bano case
- Growing strength of Regional parties → Coalition government

So the correct matching is a-iv, b-ii, c-i, d-iii.

The main issues in Indian politics after 1989 were:

- Decline of Congress dominance and the end of the Congress system
- Rise of the Mandal issue and politics of OBC reservation
- Coalition politics and the growing role of regional parties
- The rise of new economic reforms and debate over economic policy
- The Ram Janmabhoomi/Ayodhya issue and rise of communal politics
- The rise of Dalit politics and assertion of backward castes

These differences led to different political configurations:

- The National Front government in 1989, supported by both the Left and the BJP from outside
- The United Front government in 1996, supported by the Congress and the Left from outside
- The BJP-led coalition/NDA governments in 1998 and 1999
- The Congress-led UPA governments in 2004 and 2009

Thus, politics shifted from one-party dominance to coalition and minority governments based on changing alliances.

The statement is partly true.

### Supporting arguments
- In the era of coalition politics, parties often came together for pragmatic reasons rather than shared ideology.
- The chapter says that most parties of the NDA did not agree with the BJP’s Hindutva ideology, yet they formed a government together and stayed in power for a full term.
- Similarly, the Congress and the Left supported the United Front government in 1996 mainly to keep the BJP out of power.
- Thus, power sharing and electoral necessity often became more important than ideological similarity.

### Opposing arguments
- Ideology did not disappear completely; parties still had different positions on issues like secularism, reservation, and economic policies.
- Coalition partners may cooperate for government formation, but they still maintain their distinct identities and programs.
- Therefore, it is better to say that ideology became less dominant in alliances, not irrelevant altogether.

So, coalition politics in this period was based more on practical considerations than on strict ideological alignment.

The BJP emerged as a significant force in post-Emergency politics through a series of developments:

- After the break-up of the Janata Party, the supporters of the former Bharatiya Jana Sangh formed the BJP in 1980.
- Initially, the party tried a broader platform, combining Gandhian socialism with cultural nationalism, but it did not do well in the 1984 elections.
- After 1986, it increasingly focused on nationalism and the politics of Hindutva.
- Two issues helped the BJP gain strength:
- The Shah Bano case in 1985, which the BJP used to attack the Congress for appeasement of minorities.
- The Ayodhya/Ram Janmabhoomi issue, which became the central issue of its mobilisation.
- The BJP also benefited from the wider political changes of the 1990s, especially the decline of Congress dominance and the rise of coalition politics.
- It became the largest party in 1996, and though it could not form a stable majority then, it later led the NDA government in 1998 and 1999.

Thus, the BJP rose by combining Hindutva politics, communal mobilisation, and effective use of the changing party system.

Yes, the Congress party continues to influence politics even after the decline of its dominance.

### Reasons
- The chapter says that after 1989, the Congress lost centrality, but it remained an important party.
- It still ruled the country more than any other party in the period after 1989.
- The Congress was the largest party in 1989 and again in 1991.
- It led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments in 2004 and 2009.
- It played a major role in coalition politics by supporting or opposing governments strategically, for example supporting the United Front in 1996.
- Even when it was not in power, it remained a major force in national politics and continued to shape alliances and competition.

So, the Congress no longer dominated the party system, but it remained a major political actor.