A Coalition Government Again: When and How They Formed, and How Many Completed Their Tenure

Once again, a coalition government is set to form in the country. This government will take oath on June 9th. Narendra Modi, elected as BJP's MP from Varanasi, will be sworn in as Prime Minister for the third consecutive time. In the 2014 and 2019 elections, the BJP received a clear mandate. However, this time, the public stopped them short of the majority mark of 272 seats. The BJP secured only 240 seats, necessitating a coalition government.

**Modi to Lead a Coalition Government for the First Time**

This will be Modi's first experience leading a coalition government. Previously, Modi served as Gujarat's Chief Minister from 2001 to 2013 and as the country's Prime Minister from 2014 to 2024, all under a BJP majority. Now, after ten years, coalition politics is returning to India's parliamentary history, with no single party securing a clear majority.

Let's explore the history of coalition governments in India, their durations, and which ones lasted the longest and the shortest.

**India's First Coalition Government in 1977**

India's first coalition government was formed in 1977 when multiple parties contested the election under a single symbol, achieving a full majority. This was not only the first coalition government but also the first non-Congress government. Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister. The coalition lasted for two years but collapsed due to ideological differences. Home Minister Charan Singh formed a new party, Janata Party Secular, and with Congress's external support, he became Prime Minister. This experiment lasted only 23 days. On July 28, 1979, Charan Singh took the oath, but Congress withdrew support on August 20, 1979, leading to his resignation. Charan Singh remained as caretaker Prime Minister until new elections in 1980, which Indira Gandhi's Congress won.

**VP Singh's Coalition Government in 1989**

Nine years after the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, coalition politics returned in 1989. Rajiv Gandhi's Congress lost, and no party or pre-election alliance secured a clear mandate. Former Congress leader Vishwanath Pratap Singh formed the National Front, which won 143 seats. Supported externally by the BJP and the Left, VP Singh became Prime Minister with the backing of 280 MPs. However, this government fell within a year due to the Ram Temple movement, leading to BJP withdrawing support.

**Chandra Shekhar Becomes Prime Minister**

Following VP Singh's government collapse, Chandra Shekhar, a senior Janata Dal leader, became Prime Minister in November 1990 with Congress's external support. His government lasted only a few months.

**Mid-term Elections in 1991**

Mid-term elections in 1991 saw Congress emerging as the largest party. PV Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister with external support from Janata Dal. Congress won 244 seats, and Rao led a minority government for five years.

**Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-Day Government in 1996**

The 1996 Lok Sabha elections resulted in BJP becoming the largest party with 161 seats. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister but couldn't secure a majority, and his government lasted only 13 days. Subsequently, the United Front coalition formed under HD Deve Gowda, followed by IK Gujral, both of whose governments were short-lived.

**Vajpayee's 13-Month Government in 1998**

In 1998, Vajpayee led a coalition under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which included parties like Shiv Sena and AIADMK. This government lasted 13 months before AIADMK withdrew support. Fresh elections in 1999 saw BJP win 182 seats, and with 299 members' support, Vajpayee became Prime Minister again, completing a full term for the first time as a coalition government.

**UPA's Two Terms (2004-2014)**

After completing its term, NDA suffered a setback in 2004, with Sonia Gandhi-led Congress emerging as the largest party. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) formed, choosing Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. UPA completed its five-year term and was re-elected in 2009, with Manmohan Singh continuing as Prime Minister until 2014. In 2014, BJP won a majority under Narendra Modi, who also led a majority government after winning again in 2019.

In 2024, with no party securing a majority, the era of coalition politics has returned. Narendra Modi will be sworn in as Prime Minister this evening, marking the beginning of a new coalition government era.