ONCE UPON A POLL: 14th Lok Sabha (2004)

The incumbent Atal Bihari-led NDA was so confident of winning, buoyed by a strong performance of the BJP in the assembly polls in December 2003, that the elections were advanced by six months. Meanwhile, the Congress lacked confidence but fought doggedly with several alliances across states. The NDA launched an Indian Shining campaign too citing economic boom as a reason to vote the BJP-led coalition back into office.

In a reversal of fortunes that no opinion poll had foreseen, the BJP-led government lost power to the Congress, which formed a coalition, United Progressive Alliance. The Left gave outside support on the basis of a common minimum programme. Sonia Gandhi got letters of support from all allies but picked Manmohan Singh as PM.

Standout features

First time that the Congress formed a coalition government at the Centre.

This Lok Sabha saw the enactment of the Right to OBCs in admission to several higher education institutions, the Right to Education and other rights-based legislation, most notably the Right to Employment Guarantee and the Right to Information