What was the significant outcome of the 1989-2014 Lok Sabha elections in terms of party majority?
1) One party always secured a clear majority.
2) No party secured a majority in any election.
3) Regional parties took over the majority.
4) The Congress maintained its majority.

Choose the correct answer from the given options:

2

The 1990s ushered in another significant test to the dominant standing of the Congress party. However, this challenge did not lead to the ascendancy of any singular alternative party to take its position. As a result, a new phase characterized by a multi-party system emerged. It's important to note that a considerable number of political parties had consistently contested elections in our nation, resulting in a Parliament composed of representatives from diverse political backgrounds. The post-1989 period witnessed the proliferation of numerous parties in a manner where one or two parties no longer commanded the majority of votes or seats.

This transformation signalled the advent of a phase in which no single party achieved an unequivocal majority in Lok Sabha elections conducted between 1989 and 2014. This gave rise to a new paradigm of coalition governments at the national level, with regional parties playing a pivotal role in the formulation of ruling alliances. However, it is noteworthy that in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure an outright majority on its own.