Read the passage and answer the questions:
Era of Coalitions
Elections in 1989 led to the defeat of the Congress party but did not result in a majority for any other party. Though the Congress was the largest party in the Lok Sabha, it did not have a clear majority and therefore, it decided to sit in the opposition. The National Front (which itself was an alliance of Janata Dal and some other regional parties) received support from two diametrically opposite political groups: the BJP and the Left Front. On this basis, the National Front formed a coalition government, but the BJP and the Left Front did not join in this government.
The defeat of the Congress party marked the end of Congress dominance over the Indian party system. Thus, began an era of multi-party system. To be sure, a large number of political parties always contested elections in our country. Our Parliament always had representatives from several political parties. What happened after 1989 was the emergence of several parties in such a way that one or two parties did not get most of the votes or seats. This also meant that no single party secured a clear majority of seats in any Lok Sabha election held since 1989 till 2014. This development initiated an era of coalition governments at the Centre, in which regional parties played a crucial role in forming ruling alliances but in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP got clear majority on its own.
The nineties also saw the emergence of powerful parties and movements that represented the Dalit and backward castes (Other Backward Classes or OBCs). Many of these parties represented powerful regional assertion as well. These parties played an important role in the United Front government that came to power in 1996. The United Front was similar to the National Front of 1989 for it included Janata Dal and several regional parties. This time the BJP did not support the government. The United Front government was supported by the Congress. This shows how unstable the political equations were. In 1989, both the Left and the BJP supported the National Front Government because they wanted to keep the Congress out of power. In 1996, the Left continued to support the non-Congress government but this time the Congress, supported it, as both the Congress and the Left wanted to keep the BJP out of power.
Why did the Left and the BJP support the National Front Government in 1989?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → They wanted to keep the Congress out of power
The passage says it in its last lines: in 1989 both the Left and the BJP supported the National Front Government because they wanted to keep the Congress out of power.
Option (1) The National Front did not include the Samajwadi Janata Dal — Incorrect. The make-up of the National Front, an alliance of Janata Dal and some other regional parties, was not why they backed it; they wanted to keep the Congress out of power.
Option (3) To support the US India nuclear deal. — Incorrect. The nuclear deal came much later; in 1989 the aim was to keep the Congress out of power.
Option (4) It did not want Manmohan Singh to be the Prime Minister — Incorrect. Manmohan Singh had nothing to do with 1989; the aim was to keep the Congress out of power.
NCERT (2025-26): “Alliance politics … The nineties also saw the emergence of powerful parties and movements that represented the Dalit and backward castes (Other Backward Classes or OBCs). Many of these parties represented powerful regional assertion as well. These parties played an important role in the United Front government that came to power in 1996. The United Front was similar to the National Front of 1989 for it included Janata Dal and several regional parties. This time the BJP did not support the government. The United Front government was supported by the Congress. This shows how unstable the political equations were. In 1989, both the Left and the BJP supported the National Front Government because they wanted to keep the Congress out of power. In 1996, the Left continued to support the non-Congress government but this time the Congress, supported it, as both the Congress and the Left wanted to keep the BJP out of power.…” |