Recent Developments in Indian Politics, Class 12 Political Science

What Recent Developments in Indian Politics is about

Weightage: Politics in India since Independence: Recent Developments in Indian Politics carries 8 of the 80 theory marks.Source: CBSE Political Science (028) syllabus 2026-27, course structure

Key concepts

Context of the 1990s: five developments

NCERT section Context of the 1990s

Rajiv Gandhi led the Congress to a massive win in 1984 (415 seats). As the 1980s ended, five developments had a long-lasting impact:

1. Defeat of the Congress in 1989: reduced to 197 seats. It returned to power after the 1991 mid-term election, but 1989 marked the end of the 'Congress system'; the Congress stayed important but lost its centrality in the party system.
2. Rise of the 'Mandal issue': the National Front government decided in 1990 to implement the Mandal Commission's recommendation of reserving central government jobs for OBCs, leading to violent 'anti-Mandal' protests; the dispute shaped politics after 1989.
3. New economic reforms (structural adjustment): started by Rajiv Gandhi, very visible from 1991, radically changing the direction of the economy since Independence; widely criticised by movements but continued by all governments.
4. Ram Janmabhoomi issue: the textbook describes how a centuries-old dispute, both legal and political, over the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya came to influence politics and transforming the discourse on secularism and democracy, culminating in the construction of the Ram Temple after the Supreme Court constitutional bench's decision of 9 November 2019.
5. Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (May 1991): by a Sri Lankan Tamil linked to the LTTE during a campaign in Tamil Nadu. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in 1991 and chose Narasimha Rao as PM.

Worked example

What were the five developments at the end of the 1980s that had a lasting impact on Indian politics? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Defeat of the Congress in 1989 (from 415 to 197 seats), ending the Congress system.
2. The Mandal issue after the 1990 decision to reserve central government jobs for OBCs.
3. New economic reforms, very visible from 1991, continued by all governments.
4. The Ram Janmabhoomi issue in Ayodhya, and the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991, which brought Narasimha Rao as PM.

Answer: Congress defeat (1989), Mandal issue, economic reforms, Ram Janmabhoomi issue, and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

Era of coalitions and alliance politics

NCERT section Era of Coalitions; Decline of Congress; Alliance Politics

1989: the Congress was the largest party but without a majority, so it sat in opposition. The National Front (Janata Dal plus regional parties) formed a government supported from outside by two opposite groups, the BJP and the Left Front.

Decline of the Congress: its dominance over the party system ended, but no single party replaced it. A multi-party system emerged in which one or two parties did not get most votes or seats; no party won a clear majority from 1989 till 2014, starting an era of coalition governments in which regional parties played a crucial role. In 2014 and 2019, the BJP got a clear majority on its own.

Alliance politics:

• The 1990s saw powerful parties representing Dalits and OBCs, many also expressing regional assertion.
• United Front (1996): Janata Dal plus regional parties, supported by the Congress (and the Left), not the BJP. In 1989 the Left and BJP backed the NF to keep the Congress out; in 1996 the Congress and Left backed the UF to keep the BJP out; equations were unstable.
• The BJP consolidated in 1991 and 1996, emerged as the largest party in 1996 but could not win a majority. It headed a coalition government between May 1998 and June 1999, won again in October 1999, and Atal Behari Vajpayee served as PM of both NDA governments, and the 1999 government completed its full term.
• Since 1989 there were eleven governments, all coalition or minority governments, until the trend changed in 2014.

Long-term trend: earlier the Congress itself was a 'coalition' (the Congress system). Since the late 1960s sections left it, and regional parties rose after 1977, weakening it without any single party replacing it; so coalitions reflect silent long-term changes.

Worked example

How did political equations change between 1989 and 1996? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. In 1989 both the Left and the BJP supported the National Front government from outside to keep the Congress out of power.
2. In 1996 the Left and the Congress supported the United Front government to keep the BJP out of power, showing how unstable the equations were.

Answer: The supporting parties switched: anti-Congress in 1989, anti-BJP in 1996.

Political rise of Other Backward Classes

NCERT section Political Rise of Other Backward Classes; 'Mandal' Implemented; The Mandal Commission

OBCs: an administrative category of communities other than SC and ST that suffer educational and social backwardness; also called 'backward castes'. Declining Congress support among them created space for non-Congress parties; this first appeared nationally in the Janata Party (1977), whose constituents like the Bharatiya Kranti Dal and SSP had a rural OBC base. In the 1980s the Janata Dal brought together similar groups.

Effect of Mandal: the national debate made OBCs more aware of their identity, helping those who mobilised them. Many parties emerged seeking better opportunities in education and employment and a share of power for OBCs, arguing that since they are a large segment, adequate representation was only democratic.

The Mandal Commission (box):

• OBC reservations existed in southern states since the 1960s or earlier but not in the north. During the Janata government (1977-79) the demand was strongly raised; Karpoori Thakur, CM of Bihar, introduced OBC reservations there.
• 1978: the Centre appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission, popularly the Mandal Commission after its chair Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal.
• Task: investigate educational and social backwardness, recommend ways to identify 'backward classes' and to end backwardness.
• 1980 report: 'backward classes' should mean 'backward castes'; these had very low presence in education and public services; it recommended 27 per cent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, plus other measures like land reform.
• August 1990: the National Front government implemented the recommendation for OBC reservation in central government jobs and undertakings, sparking agitations and violent protests in north Indian cities.
• Challenged in the Supreme Court as the 'Indira Sawhney case'; in November 1992 the Court upheld the decision. Now OBC reservation has the support of all major parties.

Worked example

What were the main recommendations of the Mandal Commission? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. It said 'backward classes' should be understood as 'backward castes', since many castes other than SCs were treated as low in the caste hierarchy and had low presence in education and public services.
2. It proposed keeping 27 per cent of places in government jobs and educational institutions for them, along with measures like land reform.

Answer: Identify backward classes as backward castes and reserve 27 per cent of seats and jobs for them, plus land reform.

Political fallouts: Dalit politics and the BSP

NCERT section Political Fallouts

Rise of Dalit political organisation in the 1980s:

• 1978: the Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) was formed. Not an ordinary union, it stood for political power to the 'bahujan': SC, ST, OBC and minorities.
• From it emerged the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS-4) and later the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under Kanshi Ram (founded 1984).
• The BSP began small, supported mainly by Dalit voters in Punjab, Haryana and UP, and achieved a breakthrough in UP in 1989 and 1991: the first time a party supported mainly by Dalit voters had such success.
• Kanshi Ram saw it as pragmatic politics, drawing confidence from the fact that the bahujans were the majority of the population. He regarded political power as the master key to social equality.
• The BSP has been in government in UP more than once; its strongest support is still from Dalits, but it has expanded to other groups.
• In much of India, Dalit and OBC politics have grown separately, frequently as rivals.

Worked example

Trace the emergence of the Bahujan Samaj Party. (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. In 1978 BAMCEF was formed, taking a strong position in favour of political power for the bahujan (SC, ST, OBC and minorities).
2. From it emerged DS-4 and then the BSP under Kanshi Ram (1984).
3. The BSP began with Dalit support in Punjab, Haryana and UP and achieved a breakthrough in UP in 1989 and 1991, the first such success for a party mainly backed by Dalits.
4. Based on pragmatic politics and the bahujans' numerical majority, it has formed governments in UP more than once and widened its social base.

Answer: From BAMCEF (1978) to DS-4 to the BSP (1984) under Kanshi Ram, with a breakthrough in UP in 1989-91.

Communalism, secularism, democracy: rise of the BJP and Shah Bano

NCERT section Communalism, Secularism, Democracy

Another long-term change was that religious identity became more visible in politics, sparking a debate on secularism and democracy.

Rise of the BJP:

• After the Emergency the Bharatiya Jana Sangh merged into the Janata Party; after Janata's break-up, its supporters formed the BJP in 1980.
• Initially a broader platform: 'Gandhian Socialism' with cultural nationalism; little success in 1984.
• After 1986 it emphasised nationalism as the core of its ideology and pursued 'Hindutva' for mobilisation.

Hindutva: popularised by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as the basis of Indian nationhood; to be Indian one must accept India as fatherland (pitrubhu) and holy land (punyabhu). Believers argue a strong nation can be built on a united national culture, which Hindutva can provide in India.

Two developments around 1986 central to BJP politics:
1. Shah Bano case (1985): a 62-year-old divorced Muslim woman sought maintenance; the Supreme Court ruled in her favour. Orthodox Muslims saw it as interference in Muslim Personal Law. The government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, nullifying the judgment. This was opposed by many women's organisations, many Muslim groups and most intellectuals; the BJP criticised it as unnecessary concession and 'appeasement'.
2. The Ayodhya issue (next concept).

Worked example

What was the Shah Bano case and why did it become a political issue? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. In 1985 a 62-year-old divorced Muslim woman, Shah Bano, sought maintenance from her former husband, and the Supreme Court ruled in her favour.
2. Orthodox Muslims saw the ruling as interference in Muslim Personal Law.
3. Responding to some Muslim leaders, the government enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which nullified the judgment.
4. Women's organisations, many Muslim groups and most intellectuals opposed this; the BJP called it 'appeasement', and it became central to BJP politics.

Answer: A maintenance case whose judgment was nullified by a 1986 law, sparking debate on personal law, gender justice and secularism.

The Ayodhya issue: from legal proceedings to amicable acceptance

NCERT section Ayodhya Issue; From Legal Proceedings to Amicable Acceptance

*This section follows the textbook's own account.*

Nature of the issue: the textbook describes it as deeply rooted in India's socio-cultural and political history, with different perspectives from various stakeholders, involving contentions over the birthplace of Shri Ram and the site's legal ownership.

History as given in the textbook:

• A 500-year history from 1528, marked by many conflicts documented in the Lucknow, Barabanki and Faizabad district Gazetteers.
• A three-dome structure was built at the site in 1528, which the textbook says had visible Hindu symbols and relics; so the issue became linked to national pride in an ancient civilisation.
• A 'Do you know?' box: on 28 November 1858, Nihang Sikhs captured the site and performed puja and havan before being removed by the colonial administration.
• It became a prolonged legal battle; the structure was sealed in 1949 as court proceedings began.
• 1986: the Faizabad (now Ayodhya) district court ordered the structure unlocked, allowing worship. Though Shilaanyas was done, further construction remained prohibited. The textbook says the Hindu community felt its concerns were overlooked while the Muslim community sought assurance of possession; tensions rose, with many disputes and legal conflicts; both communities wanted a fair resolution.
• 1992: the structure was demolished; according to the textbook, some critics argued that this seriously challenged the principles of Indian democracy.

From legal proceedings to amicable acceptance:

• In a multi-religious democracy, conflicts are usually resolved by the due process of law.
• Through court hearings, mediation attempts, popular movements and finally a 5-0 verdict of a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court on 9 November 2019, the issue was resolved; the verdict sought to reconcile stakeholders' interests.
• Under the verdict, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust received the disputed site to build the Ram temple, and directed the government to allot an appropriate site for a mosque to the Sunni Central Waqf Board.
• The textbook says it was resolved through due process based on evidence such as archaeological excavations and historical records, was celebrated by society at large, and is an example of consensus building showing democracy's maturity.
• The judgment excerpt quoted in the textbook stresses that the Constitution treats all faiths as equal before the law.

Worked example

How was the Ayodhya issue finally resolved, according to the textbook? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The dispute went through decades of legal proceedings: the structure was sealed in 1949 and unlocked by the Faizabad district court in 1986.
2. After many disputes, hearings, mediation attempts and movements, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court gave a 5-0 verdict on 9 November 2019.
3. Under the verdict, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust received the disputed site to build the Ram temple, and the government was directed to give an appropriate site for a mosque to the Sunni Central Waqf Board.
4. The textbook presents it as resolution through due process of law, based on archaeological and historical evidence, and as an example of consensus building in a plural democracy.

Answer: Through due process of law, ending in the Supreme Court's unanimous verdict of 9 November 2019 that balanced the stakeholders' claims.

Lok Sabha elections 2004-2019

NCERT section Emergence of a New Consensus; Lok Sabha Elections (2004-2019)

Congress vs BJP competition: since 1989, the combined votes of the Congress and BJP have usually been more than 50 per cent, except in 1996, 2004 and 2009. Competition in the 1990s was between coalitions led by the BJP and the Congress.

2004:

• The Congress entered coalitions in a big way. The NDA was defeated; the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power with support from the Left Front.
• A partial revival of the Congress, whose seats rose again for the first time since 1991; the vote difference between the two alliances was negligible.

2009:

• The UPA completed its term though the Left withdrew support in July 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
• In the 15th Lok Sabha election, the Congress rose from 145 (2004) to 206 (2009) seats; Manmohan Singh became PM for a second term heading the UPA.

2014:

• The BJP declared Narendra Modi, then CM of Gujarat, its PM candidate in September 2013.
• In the 16th Lok Sabha election the BJP won 282 seats on its own: the first single-party majority in 30 years. It still formed the NDA government with partners.
• The textbook calls 2014 a watershed; the Modi-led NDA government rapidly took decisions in the social sector, foreign policy and economic policy.

2019:

• The BJP won 303 seats on its own (Congress 52). Even with a full majority, coalition politics remains relevant.

Seats table from the textbook (selected): BJP 138 (2004), 116 (2009), 282 (2014), 303 (2019); Congress 145, 206, 44, 52. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats (530 from states, 13 from UTs).

Worked example

Describe the major outcomes of the Lok Sabha elections of 2004 and 2009. (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. 2004: the NDA was defeated and the Congress-led UPA came to power with outside support from the Left Front; it marked a partial revival of the Congress.
2. The vote difference between the Congress and allies and the BJP and allies was negligible.
3. The UPA completed its term despite the Left withdrawing support in July 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
4. 2009: Congress seats rose from 145 to 206 and Manmohan Singh became PM for a second term heading the UPA.

Answer: UPA came to power in 2004 with Left support and returned stronger in 2009, with Manmohan Singh as PM.

Growing consensus

NCERT section Growing Consensus

Despite intense competition, a broad consensus has emerged among most parties, with four elements:

1. Agreement on new economic policies: though many groups oppose them, most parties support them, believing they will bring prosperity and economic power status.
2. Acceptance of the political and social claims of backward castes: all parties now support reservation for 'backward classes' in education and employment and are willing to ensure OBCs get an adequate share of power.
3. Acceptance of the role of state-level parties in national governance: the distinction between state and national parties is becoming less important, as state parties share power nationally.
4. Pragmatism over ideology: coalition politics shifted focus from ideological differences to power-sharing; e.g. most NDA parties did not agree with the BJP's Hindutva, yet they formed a government that completed its term.

Beyond parties: people's movements and organisations raise issues like poverty, displacement, minimum wages, livelihood and social security, and justice and democracy in terms of class, caste, gender and region.

Conclusion: from Congress dominance, India has reached more competitive politics based on an implicit agreement among the main actors. The future cannot be predicted, but democratic politics is here to stay.

Worked example

What are the four elements of the growing consensus among political parties? (4 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Agreement on new economic policies, which most parties support.
2. Acceptance of the political and social claims of backward castes, including reservations and a share in power for OBCs.
3. Acceptance of the role of state-level parties in national governance.
4. Emphasis on pragmatic considerations over ideology, with alliances formed without ideological agreement (e.g. NDA partners and Hindutva).

Answer: Economic reforms, backward-caste claims, role of state parties, and pragmatism over ideology.

Recent Developments in Indian Politics in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Coalition Politics Since 1989
• Religion-Based Politics, the Shah Bano Case and the Ayodhya Issue
• Mandal Commission, OBC Reservation and the Rise of OBC and Dalit Politics

Recent Developments in Indian Politics: key facts

Five developments

1989 Congress defeat (415 to 197); Mandal (1990); economic reforms (1991); Ram Janmabhoomi issue; Rajiv Gandhi assassinated (May 1991)

Narasimha Rao PM in 1991.

Coalition governments

1989	National Front (BJP and Left outside support)
1996-97	United Front (Congress support)
1998-99	BJP-led
1999	NDA (full term, Vajpayee)
2004	UPA
2009	UPA again

No single-party majority 1989-2014.

Mandal Commission

Appointed	1978 (Second Backward Classes Commission, B. P. Mandal)
Report	1980
Reservation	27%
Implemented	Aug 1990
Upheld	Nov 1992 (Indira Sawhney)

Karpoori Thakur's Bihar policy.

Dalit politics

BAMCEF 1978; DS-4; BSP 1984 (Kanshi Ram); UP breakthrough 1989, 1991

Bahujan = SC, ST, OBC, minorities.

BJP's rise

Formed 1980; Gandhian Socialism; after 1986 nationalism and Hindutva (Savarkar: pitrubhu, punyabhu)

Shah Bano 1985; Act of 1986.

Ayodhya (as in textbook)

1528 structure; 1858 Nihang Sikhs episode; sealed 1949; unlocked 1986; demolished 1992; SC 5-0 verdict 9 Nov 2019

Site to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust; mosque site to Sunni Central Waqf Board.

2004-2019 elections

2004	UPA (Left support)
2009	Congress 206, UPA again
2014	BJP 282 (first single-party majority in 30 years)
2019	BJP 303

Left withdrew support July 2008 (nuclear deal).

Seat table

BJP 138, 116, 282, 303; Congress 145, 206, 44, 52 (2004, 2009, 2014, 2019)

543 Lok Sabha seats.

Growing consensus

Economic reforms; backward-caste claims; state parties' role; pragmatism over ideology

People's movements raise new issues.

How the board asks Recent Developments in Indian Politics

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Recent Developments in Indian Politics

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Five developments

  "C-M-E-R-R": Congress defeat, Mandal, Economic reforms, Ram Janmabhoomi, Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

  Use it when: Context of 1990s.

• Mandal dates

  "78-80-90-92": appointed, report, implemented, upheld.

  Use it when: Mandal questions.

• Lok Sabha seats

  "BJP 282 then 303; Congress 145 then 206".

  Use it when: 2004-2019.

• Consensus

  "E-B-S-P": Economic policy, Backward castes, State parties, Pragmatism.

  Use it when: Four elements.

Recent Developments in Indian Politics: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Recent Developments in Indian Politics

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Saying the BJP formed the government alone in 2014

  It won a majority.

  ✓Do this: It won 282 seats but formed the NDA government with partners.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Mixing up National Front and United Front supporters

  Similar names.

  ✓Do this: 1989 NF: BJP and Left outside support; 1996 UF: Congress (and Left) support.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Wrong Mandal dates

  Several years.

  ✓Do this: Appointed 1978; report 1980; implemented 1990; upheld 1992.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Writing personal opinions on sensitive issues

  Strong views.

  ✓Do this: Use the textbook's factual, neutral account, attributing judgements to the textbook or the Court.

  Usually costs: Marks for relevance.

• ✗Mistake: Writing about the dropped 'Gujarat Riots' section

  Older guides.

  ✓Do this: It is not in the 2026-27 syllabus.

  Usually costs: Wasted time.

NCERT exercise guide: Recent Developments in Indian Politics

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Practice questions on Recent Developments in Indian Politics

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   The BJP was formed in:
   (a) 1977
   (b) 1980
   (c) 1984
   (d) 1986

   Hint

   After Janata's break-up.

   Answer

   (b) 1980.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   Who founded the Bahujan Samaj Party?
   (a) Karpoori Thakur
   (b) B. P. Mandal
   (c) Kanshi Ram
   (d) Charan Singh

   Hint

   BAMCEF.

   Answer

   (c).

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

   Assertion (A): The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 was opposed by many women's organisations.
   Reason (R): The Act nullified the Supreme Court's judgment granting maintenance to Shah Bano.
   Choose (a)-(d).

   Hint

   Gender justice.

   Answer

   (a) Both are true and R explains A.

4. Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

   Assertion (A): Since 1989, no Lok Sabha election up to 2014 gave a single party a clear majority.
   Reason (R): The Congress refused to contest elections in alliances.
   Choose (a)-(d).

   Hint

   Multi-party system.

   Answer

   (c) A is true but R is false: the reason was the rise of a multi-party system; the Congress itself entered coalitions in a big way in 2004.

5. Q5 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   What is Hindutva, as described in the textbook? (2 marks)

   Hint

   Savarkar.

   Answer

   Popularised by V. D. Savarkar as the basis of Indian nationhood, it holds that to be Indian one must accept India as fatherland (pitrubhu) and holy land (punyabhu); its believers argue a strong nation can be built on a united national culture, which Hindutva can provide.

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

   Suppose a class has five groups and none can win the class election alone. Two groups that usually disagree both back a third group to stop a fourth from winning. Which pattern of the 1990s does this resemble? (2 marks)

   Hint

   1989 or 1996.

   Answer

   It resembles 1989, when ideologically opposite groups, the BJP and the Left, both supported the National Front to keep the Congress out of power (and 1996, when the Congress and Left backed the United Front to keep the BJP out). It shows how unstable equations were in the coalition era.

7. Q7 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   What are the advantages of India's present multi-party system, drawing on the last 30 years? (4 marks)

   Hint

   Representation, state parties.

   Answer

   It gives representation to diverse groups: OBCs and Dalits (BSP) gained a political voice; state parties share power nationally and bring regional concerns to the Centre; coalitions encourage pragmatic compromise and consensus on key issues (economic reforms, reservations); and voters have real choice, as shown by changes of government from 1989 to 2019. Coalition governments like the NDA (1999) and UPA have completed full terms, and even single-party majorities (2014, 2019) have governed with allies.

8. Q8 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Why did the Congress lose its central position after 1989? (4 marks)

   Hint

   Long-term changes.

   Answer

   Since the late 1960s various sections left the Congress to form their own parties; regional parties rose after 1977; backward castes moved to non-Congress parties (Janata, Janata Dal); Dalit politics grew through the BSP; and the BJP rose after 1986. In 1989 it fell from 415 to 197 seats. No single party replaced it, so a multi-party, coalition system emerged.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.How many seats did the Congress win in 1984 and 1989?Show answer

   415 in 1984 and 197 in 1989.

2. 2.Who was the chairperson of the Second Backward Classes Commission?Show answer

   Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal.

3. 3.Which Bihar CM pioneered OBC reservation in north India?Show answer

   Karpoori Thakur.

4. 4.In which state did the BSP achieve a breakthrough in 1989 and 1991?Show answer

   Uttar Pradesh.

5. 5.Who popularised Hindutva?Show answer

   Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

6. 6.When was the Supreme Court's verdict on the Ayodhya issue announced?Show answer

   On 9 November 2019, by a 5-0 constitutional bench.

7. 7.Which NDA government completed its full term?Show answer

   The government formed in 1999 under Atal Behari Vajpayee.

8. 8.When did the BJP declare Narendra Modi its PM candidate?Show answer

   In September 2013.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Can you list the five developments of the late 1980s?
• ☐Can you explain why 1989 ended the Congress system?
• ☐Can you describe the NF (1989), UF (1996), NDA and UPA governments?
• ☐Can you explain the Mandal Commission's work and its implementation?
• ☐Can you trace BAMCEF to the BSP?
• ☐Can you explain the rise of the BJP and Hindutva?
• ☐Can you describe the Shah Bano case?
• ☐Can you summarise the Ayodhya issue and the 2019 verdict as given in the textbook?
• ☐Can you describe the 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 elections?
• ☐Can you state the four elements of the growing consensus?

Recent Developments in Indian Politics: frequently asked questions