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1971 Indian general election
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| country | India |
| type | parliamentary |
| previous_election | 1967 Indian general election |
| previous_year | 1967 |
| next_election | 1977 Indian general election |
| next_year | 1977 |
| election_date | 1–10 March 1971 |
| seats_for_election | 518 of the 521 seats in the Lok Sabha |
| majority_seats | 260 |
| registered | 274,189,132 |
| turnout | 55.27% ( 5.77pp) |
| image_size | 130x130px |
| image1 | Indira Gandhi official portrait.png |
| leader1 | Indira Gandhi |
| party1 | Indian National Congress (R) |
| last_election1 | 40.78%, 283 seats |
| seats1 | **352** |
| seat_change1 | 69 |
| popular_vote1 | **64,033,274** |
| percentage1 | **43.68%** |
| swing1 | 2.90pp |
| image2 | Sundaraiah-Puchalapalli.jpg |
| leader2 | Puchalapalli Sundarayya |
| party2 | Communist Party of India (Marxist) |
| last_election2 | 4.28%, 12 seats |
| seats2 | 25 |
| seat_change2 | 6 |
| popular_vote2 | 7,510,089 |
| percentage2 | 5.12% |
| swing2 | 0.84pp |
| image4 | Ab vajpayee (cropped)1.jpg |
| leader4 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| party4 | Bharatiya Jana Sangh |
| last_election4 | 9.31%, 35 seats |
| seats4 | 22 |
| seat_change4 | 13 |
| popular_vote4 | 10,777,119 |
| percentage4 | 7.35% |
| swing4 | 1.96 pp |
| image5 | K Kamaraj 1976 stamp of India (cropped).jpg |
| leader5 | K. Kamaraj |
| party5 | Indian National Congress (Organisation) |
| last_election5 | – |
| seats5 | 16 |
| seat_change5 | *New* |
| popular_vote5 | 15,285,851 |
| percentage5 | 10.43% |
| swing5 | *New* |
| map_image | Wahlergebnisse in Indien 1971.svg |
| map_caption | Results by constituency |
| title | Prime Minister |
| posttitle | Prime Minister after election |
| before_election | Indira Gandhi |
| before_party | Indian National Congress (R) |
| after_election | Indira Gandhi |
| after_party | Indian National Congress (R) |
| outgoing_members | List of members of the 4th Lok Sabha |
| elected_members | List of members of the 5th Lok Sabha |
| alliance4 | Grand Alliance |
| alliance5 | Grand Alliance |
General elections were held in India between 1 and 10 March 1971 to elect members of the fifth Lok Sabha. They were the fifth general elections since independence in 1947. The 27 Indian states and union territories were represented by 518 constituencies, each with a single seat. Under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, the Indian National Congress (R) led a campaign which focused on reducing poverty and won a landslide victory, overcoming a split in the party and regaining many of the seats lost in the previous election.
Background
Congress party split
During Indira Gandhi's previous term, there had been internal divisions in the Indian National Congress caused by various initiatives of her administration like nationalisation of banks, coal and steel, abolition of the privy purse and increasing closeness with the Soviet Union, steps that were considered to be too left-wing by the Congress high command consisting of centre-right leaders like Morarji Desai, K. Kamaraj, Atulya Ghosh, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, S. K. Patil and others. In 1969 she was expelled from the party by party president S. Nijalingappa, causing a split. Most of the Congress MPs and grassroots support joined Gandhi's Indian National Congress (Requisitionists) faction, which was recognised by the Election Commission as being the successor to the previous party. 31 MPs who opposed Gandhi formed Indian National Congress (Organisation) party.
Minority government
The Second Indira Gandhi government, formed in November 1969 and dissolved in March 1971, was the first minority government in independent India. After the split, the INC(R) held 221 seats in the 523-seat parliament, 41 seats short of a majority. However, Gandhi and her cabinet remained in power by relying on support from left-wing parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (26 seats), the Communist Party of India and its recently formed breakaway faction, the CPI(Marxist) (who together had 42 seats), giving the government a total of 289 seats, a comfortable majority and far more than the minimum of 262 seats required for a majority. Knowing that her minority government would eventually fall, on 27 December 1970, President V.V. Giri dissolved the Lok Sabha on the recommendation of Gandhi.
Opposition alliance
INC(O) formed a pre-poll alliance with Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP), Praja Socialist Party (PSP), the Swatantra Party and Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and several other regional parties opposed to the INC(R). They agreed to field a single joint candidate against the INC(R) candidate in every constituency in order to defeat Gandhi's party.
Results
Despite the split, the ruling faction gained votes and seats to win a strong majority, while the Grand Alliance was badly trounced and lost more than half of their seats.
Results by state
| State | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| seats | Seats won | INC (R) | CPM | CPI | DMK | BJS | INC (O) | TPS | SWA | SSP | PSP | BKD | Others | Ind. | App. | Indian National Congress}};" | Communist Party of India (Marxist)}};;" | Communist Party of India}};" | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}};;" | Bharatiya Jana Sangh}};;" | Indian National Congress (Organisation)}};;" | Telangana Praja Samithi}};;" | Swatantra Party}};;" | Samyukta Socialist Party}};;" | Praja Socialist Party}};;" | Bharatiya Kranti Dal}};;" | Others}};;" | Independent}};;" | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 41 | Assam | 14 | Bihar | 53 | Chandigarh | 1 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 1 | Delhi | 7 | Goa, Daman and Diu | 2 | Gujarat | 24 | Haryana | 9 | Himachal Pradesh | 4 | Jammu and Kashmir | 6 | Kerala | 19 | Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands | 1 | Madhya Pradesh | 37 | Maharashtra | 45 | Manipur | 2 | Mysore | 27 | Nagaland | 1 | North-East Frontier Agency | 1 | Orissa | 20 | Punjab | 13 | Pondicherry | 1 | Rajasthan | 23 | Tamil Nadu | 39 | Tripura | 2 | Uttar Pradesh | 85 | West Bengal | 40 | Anglo-Indians | 2 | Total | 521 | 352 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 14 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 11 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | 11 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 4 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 73 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: [ECI](https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175452/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf) |
State wise Detailed
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (# of seats) | Party | Seats contested | Seats won | % of votes |
| [Andhra Pradesh](1971-indian-general-election-in-andhra-pradesh)**(41)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **37** | **28** | |
| Telangana Praja Samithi | 14 | 10 | 14.33 | |
| Communist Party Of India | 11 | 1 | 5.94 | |
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 5 | 1 | 2.82 | |
| Independent | 93 | 1 | 8.21 | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 12 | 0 | 5.55 | |
| [Assam](1971-indian-general-election-in-assam)**(14)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **13** | **13** | |
| All Party Hill Leaders Conference | 1 | 1 | 3.0 | |
| Communist Party Of India | 5 | 0 | 5.65 | |
| Praja Socialist Party | 5 | 0 | 4.56 | |
| Independent | 31 | 0 | 17.92 | |
| [Bihar](1971-indian-general-election-in-bihar)**(53)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **47** | **39** | |
| Communist Party of India | 17 | 5 | 9.85 | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 24 | 3 | 11.51 | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 28 | 2 | 12.1 | |
| Samyukta Socialist Party | 28 | 2 | 9.47 | |
| Independent | 183 | 1 | 9.11 | |
| [Gujarat](1971-indian-general-election-in-gujarat)**(24)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **23** | **11** | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 19 | 11 | 39.70 | |
| Swatantra Party | 4 | 2 | 5.46 | |
| [Haryana](1971-indian-general-election-in-haryana)**(9)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **9** | **7** | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 3 | 1 | 11.19 | |
| Vishal Haryana Party | 3 | 1 | 9.16 | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 4 | 0 | 11.34 | |
| [Jammu & Kashmir](1971-indian-general-election-1999-jammu-and-kashmir)**(6)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **6** | **5** | |
| Independent | 20 | 1 | 32.17 | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 3 | 0 | 12.23 | |
| [Kerala](1971-indian-general-election-in-kerala)**(19)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **7** | **6** | |
| Communist Party of India | 3 | 3 | 9.09 | |
| Kerala Congress | 3 | 3 | 8.31 | |
| Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 11 | 2 | 26.21 | |
| Revolutionary Socialist Party | 2 | 2 | 6.43 | |
| Muslim League | 2 | 2 | 5.62 | |
| Independent | 27 | 1 | 17.97 | |
| [Madhya Pradesh](1971-indian-general-election-in-madhya-pradesh)**(37)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **36** | **21** | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 28 | 11 | 33.56 | |
| Independent | 73 | 4 | 13.93 | |
| Samyukta Socialist Party | 5 | 1 | 1.57 | |
| [Maharashtra](1971-indian-general-election-in-maharashtra)**(45)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **44** | **42** | |
| All India Forward Bloc | 3 | 1 | 2.47 | |
| Praja Socialist Party | 8 | 1 | 1.68 | |
| Republican Party Of India | 1 | 1 | 1.11 | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 13 | 0 | 5.23 | |
| Peasants And Workers Party Of India | 12 | 0 | 5.33 | |
| [Mysore](1971-indian-general-election-in-mysore)**(27)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **27** | **27** | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 17 | 0 | 16.36 | |
| [Orissa](1971-indian-general-election-in-orissa)**(20)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **19** | **15** | |
| Swatantra Party | 13 | 3 | 15.91 | |
| Utkal Congress | 20 | 1 | 23.6 | |
| Communist Party of India | 3 | 1 | 4.31 | |
| [Punjab](1971-indian-general-election-in-punjab)**(13)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **11** | **10** | |
| Communist Party of India | 2 | 2 | 6.22 | |
| Shiromani Akali Dal | 12 | 1 | 30.85 | |
| [Rajasthan](1971-indian-general-election-in-rajasthan)**(23)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **23** | **14** | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 7 | 4 | 12.38 | |
| Swatantra Party | 8 | 3 | 14.64 | |
| Independent | 71 | 2 | 12.34 | |
| [Tamil Nadu](1971-indian-general-election-in-tamil-nadu)**(39)** | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | **24** | **23** | |
| Indian National Congress (R) | 9 | 9 | 12.51 | |
| Communist Party of India | 4 | 4 | 5.43 | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 29 | 1 | 30.43 | |
| Independent | 27 | 1 | 3.24 | |
| All India Forward Bloc | 1 | 1 | 1.31 | |
| [Uttar Pradesh](1971-indian-general-election-in-uttar-pradesh)**(85)** | Indian National Congress (R) | **78** | **73** | |
| Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 37 | 4 | 12.23 | |
| Communist Party of India | 9 | 4 | 3.7 | |
| Independent | 231 | 2 | 8.4 | |
| Bharatiya Kranti Dal | 67 | 1 | 12.70 | |
| Indian National Congress (Organisation) | 44 | 1 | 8.6 | |
| Samyukta Socialist Party | 25 | 0 | 4.1 | |
| [West Bengal](1971-indian-general-election-in-west-bengal)**(40)** | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | **38** | **20** | |
| Indian National Congress (R) | 31 | 13 | 28.2 | |
| Communist Party Of India | 15 | 3 | 10.54 | |
| Independent | 28 | 1 | 5.79 | |
| Bangla Congress | 14 | 1 | 3.97 | |
| Revolutionary Socialist Party | 5 | 1 | 2.04 | |
| Praja Socialist Party | 3 | 1 | 1.29 | |
| All India Forward Bloc | 10 | 0 | 2.7 | |
| Source:[ECI](https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175452/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf) |
Aftermath
On 12 June 1975 the Allahabad High Court invalidated the result in Gandhi's constituency on the grounds of electoral malpractices. Instead of resigning, Indira Gandhi called a state of emergency, suspending democracy and outlawed political opposition. After democracy was restored in 1977, the opposition Congress faction formed a coalition of parties called the Janata Party, which inflicted the Congress's first electoral defeat.
References
References
- [http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/INDIA_1971_E.PDF India] Inter-Parliamentary Union
- "General Election of India 1971, 5th Lok Sabha". Election Commission of India.
- (2019-03-07). "INKredible India: The story of 1971 Lok Sabha election - All you need to know".
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