ONCE UPON A POLL: Fifth Lok Sabha election (1971)

When Congress split

This period saw much political activity and realignments with social and economic consequences. The Congress split in 1969, with PM Indira Gandhi expelled by the old guard —  the “Syndicate” led by Morarji Desai who formed the Congress (O). Indira, who called her group the Congress (R), still kept control of the House with a smart alignment with the Communist Party of India. It was during this phase that Indira articulated the slogan garibi hataao, which found a wide emotive appeal, showcased her as progressive, and drove her campaign against her rivals. Bank nationalisation (enforcing state ownership on private banks) came about in 1971, a big part of a left-turn package.

Standout features

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This Lok Sabha  introduced major amendments to the Constitution, with the preamble broadened to include the terms “secular” and “socialist”

This was to be the Swatantra Party’s and the Jana Sangh’s last election

The election was concluded in two weeks. Earlier elections and those later had gone on or would go on up to six months
Uncontested  seats dropped to 1

Fourth Lok Sabha