The elections of 1967 marked the emergence of a notable political phenomenon - coalition politics. With no single party securing a majority, various non-Congress parties united to form joint legislative groups, referred to as "Samyukt Vidhayak Dal" in Hindi, to back non-Congress governments. As a result, these governing entities earned the designation of SVD governments. Notably, most of these coalitions comprised partners with differing ideological orientations.
What was a common characteristic of most SVD governments formed after the 1967 elections?
1) Ideological uniformity among coalition partners
2) Single-party dominance
3) Non-Congress support for Congress governments
4) Incongruence among coalition partners' ideologies
Choose the correct answer from the given options:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The elections of 1967 marked the emergence of a notable political phenomenon - coalition politics. With no single party securing a majority, various non-Congress parties united to form joint legislative groups, referred to as "Samyukt Vidhayak Dal" in Hindi, to back non-Congress governments. As a result, these governing entities earned the designation of SVD governments. Notably, most of these coalitions comprised partners with differing ideological orientations.
For instance, the SVD government in Bihar showcased a diverse composition, including the participation of two socialist parties - SSP and PSP - alongside the left-leaning Communist Party of India (CPI) and the right-leaning Jana Sangh. Similarly, in Punjab, a coalition known as the 'Popular United Front' came into existence, featuring the rival Akali factions - the Sant group and the Master group - alongside both communist parties (CPI and CPI(M)), the Socialist Party (SSP), the Republican Party, and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.