Question

In which part of the country did the Congress party's position remain unaffected in the general elections held after the Emergency?

• A. Northern India
• B. Western India
• C. Central India
• D. Southern India

Hint:

The 1977 election is a landmark in Indian political history. A key takeaway is the stark North-South divide in the voting pattern. This was the first time a non-Congress government, the Janata Party, came to power at the Centre.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks about the regional electoral outcome for the Indian National Congress party in the 1977 general election, which was held immediately after the end of "The Emergency" (1975-1977).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Emergency was a period of 21 months when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had a state of emergency declared across the country. It was a controversial period marked by the suspension of civil liberties and political opposition.
There was significant public anger against the Congress party, particularly in Northern India, which experienced some of the harshest measures of the Emergency, such as forced sterilizations and crackdowns on dissent.
In the 1977 general elections, the Congress party was decisively defeated across North, West, and Central India. The Janata Party alliance won a landslide victory.
However, in Southern India (states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu), the impact of the Emergency was perceived to be less severe. Consequently, the Congress party and its allies performed very well, winning a majority of the seats in this region. Their position remained largely strong and unaffected here, in stark contrast to the rest of the country.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The Congress party's electoral position remained strong and largely unaffected in Southern India during the 1977 general elections. Thus, option (D) is the correct answer.