On March 20, 1977, there was a special buzz in the newsrooms of the Delhi media. As the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections held the previous day had begun, the newsrooms were busy reporting on it. As the night fell, the entire newsrooms of the newspapers were surprised when the trend of the counting of votes began to emerge. The work of 'cross-checking' was being done repeatedly without believing the news that came in. 

The then powerful Congress party led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was lagging behind in one seat after another. The opposition Janata Party had made a lead in many places. The era of the internet had not yet arrived. The information given by the correspondents over the phone and coming from the news agencies through teleprinters was unreliable. 

One reason for this was that the 'Janata Party', which had been born only three months earlier, was gaining an advantage over the Congress party, which had a political legacy. It was the same Congress that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had nurtured. The reins of power were in the hands of Nehru's daughter Indira. The government radio and television were delaying in reporting the vote count. A crowd of people had already gathered at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in Delhi to get the vote count information. Most of the newspapers had their offices on Zafar Marg. The Times of India had to make arrangements to publicly announce the vote count on a signboard outside its office before publishing the news in the newspaper. The news of the Janata Party's lead and victory excited the crowd there. This went on for a few days. 

As soon as the news of Indira Gandhi's defeat from a traditional and safe seat like Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh came out, people celebrated on the streets of Delhi. The news of the defeat of Indira's son Sanjay Gandhi, who had contested from the Amethi seat, added to the frenzy among the people. Sanjay was defeated by an ordinary student leader of the Janata Party. 

Let's discuss the elections in Nepal. There is no history of a prime minister in Nepal who has managed to run a government for a full five-year term even after winning a majority. In 2015, the Congress won a two-thirds majority. Indian politics was in turmoil during that election season in 1977 – with the news that the most powerful politician, mother and son, had suffered defeat. The areas considered vote banks had disappointed the Congress. The people had openly voted in favor of the ‘Janata Party’ that opened after the election date was announced. In his book ‘Bharat Nehru Ke Baad’, historian Ramchandra Guha has written, ‘In the history of the country, for the first time in 31 years, a non-Congress government was coming to power. The election results surprised everyone. Analysts and the media had called the election results ‘Janata wave’ or ‘people’s revolution.’

The results of the general elections of March 1977 were not only surprising, they were historic. The ruling Congress was wiped out in the whole of North India. The voters had voted against the Congress by one vote. The Congress, which had been leading the government since India's independence, was uprooted and brought to the brink by the power of the people's vote. In the 542-member Lok Sabha, the 'Janata Party' and its allies won 298 seats. The 'Janata Party' had secured a comfortable majority. The Congress was reduced to 153 seats. In the previous elections, the Congress had won 350 seats. The Congress did not get a single seat in Uttar Pradesh, 84 in Bihar, 53 in Punjab, 13 in Haryana, 9 in Haryana and 7 in Delhi. All the seats went to the 'Janata Party'. There was a strong wave of the 'Janata Party' in North India. Whereas South India had protected the Congress. 

On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court had declared that the election of Indira Gandhi from Rae Bareli in the 1971 elections was rigged. The court had ruled that she would be disqualified from any constitutional office for the next 6 years. 

After that decision, the opposition started demanding Gandhi's resignation, but Gandhi did not listen. She declared a state of emergency across the country, saying it was a 'threat to national security'. Opposition leaders were arrested. Censorship was imposed on the media. 13 organizations, including the RSS, were banned. 

On the midnight of June 25, 1975, Indira Gandhi imposed a state of emergency in the country. Indira and her son Sanjay easily took control of the entire administration of the country. The media, with few exceptions, had also bowed down to the government. 

Indira Gandhi had developed a new model of 'directed democracy', which was gradually taking a permanent form. Journalist Kuldeep Nayar has written in his book 'One Life is Not Enough', 'Press freedom was curtailed. The censorship officer played an editorial role.' The five-year term of the Lok Sabha was ending in November 1976. However, elections were not held under the pretext of the emergency. The term of the Lok Sabha was extended by amending the constitution. 

A year later, on January 18, 1977, Gandhi announced elections. India's 'Secret Bureau' had assured Gandhi that the time was right to hold elections and that if elections were held now, the Congress would win a majority. And, the opposition parties, who had suffered under the government during the Emergency, took the elections as an opportunity. 

The Maoists, who had come out of armed conflict into open politics, were overwhelmingly voted for by the people in the first Constituent Assembly elections in 2064. Despite getting a close to majority in the popular vote, the government collapsed within 9 months due to immature decisions like removing the army chief.   On January 19, a meeting of four opposition parties was held at the residence of opposition leader Morarji Desai in Delhi. The meeting included the Jana Sangh, the Bharatiya Lok Dal, the Socialist Party and the Congress (O). They decided to fight the upcoming elections under a single election symbol and a single party flag. It was against this backdrop that the 'Janata Party' was born. Soon after the new party was formed, Jagjivan Ram, an influential minister in Indira Gandhi's cabinet, left Gandhi. His departure put the Congress in a further awkward position. Ram formed the 'Congress for Democracy Party', which entered into electoral alliance with the 'Janata Party'. 

The elections were being held in the third week of March. On March 6, the opposition party organized a huge public meeting at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. To weaken the meeting, the government had the then popular film 'Bambi' broadcast on the state television 'Doordarshan' at the same time. However, despite this, historian Guha writes in his book that one million people gathered at the opposition meeting. Millions of people had reached Ramlila Maidan to listen to Jagjivan Ram and Jayaprakash Narayan. That meeting had already indicated the election results. At the meeting, Jayaprakash had raised the slogan, ‘Voting for Congress is support for dictatorship and voting for the opposition is support for freedom.’ Jayaprakash was the main campaigner of the election. Despite his age and poor health, he was campaigning all over the country. 

Political analyst and former journalist Rashid Kidwai has written in his book ‘Bharat Ke Pradhan’ that ‘Indira Gandhi was uprooted by the anti-Emergency winds in the 1977 elections’. At that time, the Congress had to face a humiliating defeat. 

According to journalist Nayar, Indira Gandhi’s defeat saved the country and the democratic structure from collapsing. If Indira had not lost, she might have felt that she was on the right path. After that, a non-Congress government was formed with a majority. 

‘Janata Party’ did not contest the elections under the leadership of any one leader. Therefore, with the election results, the controversy over 'who will be the Prime Minister?' took root in the party. Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram and Morarji Desai were seen as contenders for the post. The responsibility of choosing the Prime Minister was given to Jayaprakash Narayan and JB Kripalani. Desai was made Prime Minister, Ram Raksha and Singh Home Minister. HM Patel became Finance and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Foreign Minister. Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister in 31 years.

With the swearing-in ceremony on March 23, 1977, a rift began to emerge between Morarji Desai and Charan Singh. Its impact also began to be felt in the party. The way the 'Janata Party'-led government worked also ceased to look much different from the Congress. There was a difference of opinion between Prime Minister Desai and Home Minister Singh on the issue of forming a commission to investigate the excesses during the Emergency. The focus of some leaders was focused on taking revenge on Indira Gandhi. In October 1977, Home Minister Charan Singh decided to arrest Gandhi. Indira Gandhi was arrested on vague corruption charges. The next day after her arrest, the magistrate dropped the charges and released Gandhi. After that, Gandhi began to strongly oppose the 'Janata Party' government.

On May 27, 1977, an incident came to light in which nine people from the so-called lower caste were burnt to death by an alleged upper caste man in the village of Belchhi in Bihar. The former Prime Minister Gandhi decided to visit the scene. The incident led Gandhi to become active in politics. Even though she reached Patna by plane, Gandhi's journey to Belchhi was difficult due to the rainy season. She reached the scene by either riding a tractor, walking or riding an elephant. Guha writes that the journey brought Gandhi to the center of politics.

Gandhi was looking for a safe seat to enter Parliament. She entered Parliament through the by-election from the Chikmagalur seat in Karnataka. The rise of the 'Janata Party' was accompanied by full public support and high aspirations. However, ideological and political differences soon began to emerge. This led to the government of the 'Janata Party' being on the defensive. The government's efforts were being thwarted by the increasing factionalism and personal enmity in the 'Janata Party'. The party was on the verge of splitting. Desai removed Charan Singh from the cabinet. A few months later, he was brought in with the post of Deputy Prime Minister. The party was splitting into two parts, Desai and Singh. After Singh's non-cooperation, Prime Minister Desai was forced to resign in July 1979. 

The Left alliance including the UML-Maoist won a historic victory in the 2074 House of Representatives elections. The Left alliance won 174 seats out of 275 in the House of Representatives. Almost two-thirds majority. That majority did not materialize. Despite having a majority, the KP Oli-led government collapsed within three and a half years due to internal party disputes. Prime Minister Desai, who was made by the 'Janata Party', remained the Prime Minister for only two years. During that period, some state governments were dissolved and elections were held in June. 'Janata Party' governments were formed in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. 

Desai was believed to be inclined towards America. During the rule of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, there was a policy of leaning towards the communist Soviet Union (Russian Republic). Analyst Kidwai has written that India took a step towards capitalist America during Desai's tenure. At that time, Desai's visit to America and US President Jimmy Carter's visit to India had concluded. After the Desai government fell in 1979, Charan Singh became the Prime Minister. The government had received external support from the Congress. However, the Congress withdrew its support a day before the vote of confidence. His government fell without having a chance to participate in a single session of Parliament. The Lok Sabha was dissolved as there was no alternative to form a government. Lok Sabha elections were held in January 1980. At that time, the 'Janata Party' split into various parties. The ‘Janata Dal’ eventually split into the ‘Bharatiya Janata Party’, the ‘Samajwadi Party’ etc. The Congress (I) returned to power with a huge majority in the seventh Lok Sabha elections. Indira Gandhi won the elections from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh as well as from Medak in Andhra Pradesh. She became the Prime Minister again. 

‘The Janata Party had come to power riding on a wave of great hope and trust. It had expressed its commitment to the people to fight a second war of independence and freedom from authoritarian rule. However, after coming to power, the hopes and trust placed in them by the people started to be dashed. Janata Party leaders at the Centre and in the states started choosing luxurious and good government bungalows 

for themselves. Leaders started running after expensive air-conditioned residences and hotel parties,’ writes Guha, ‘The telephone and electricity bills of the leaders started to increase. They started running abroad for small jobs. पार्टी दिग्भ्रमित र आपसमा लड्ने, झगड्ने, एकअर्कामाथि आरोप–प्रत्यारोपको डौरबाट गुज्रियो । जनता पार्टी 

आफ्नो कार्यकाल पूरा गर्न नाकामयाब रह्यो । जनता पार्टीको नाकामयाबीको परिणाम इन्दिरा गान्धीलाई सत्ता फर्किन तीन साल मात्रै लाग्यो । १९८० को चुनावमा उनको पार्टीले ३५३ सिट जित्यो । २४ जनवरी १९८० मा गान्धी पुनः प्रधानमन्त्री बनिन् ।’

अब नेपालको चुनावमाथि विमर्श गरौं । नेपालमा बहुमत ल्याएर पनि कुनै प्रधानमन्त्रीले पाँच वर्षको पूरा कार्यकाल सरकार चलाउन पाएको इतिहास छैन । २०१५ मा कांग्रेसले दुई तिहाइ बहुमत ल्याएको थियो । प्रतिनिधिसभाको १०९ सिटमा कांग्रेसले ७४ सिट जितेको थियो । बीपी कोइराला नेतृत्वको उक्त सरकारलाई राजा महेन्द्रले दुई वर्षमै बर्खास्त गरेर सत्ता–शासन आफ्नो हातमा लिएका थिए । ३० वर्षे पञ्चायती व्यवस्थाको अन्त्यपछि २९ वैशाख २०४८ मा भएको आमनिर्वाचनमा जनताले कांग्रेसलाई प्रतिनिधिसभाका २०५ मध्ये ११० सिट दिएका थिए । तर पार्टी र सरकारबीचको अन्तरद्वन्द्वले सरकार साढे ३ वर्षमै ढलेको थियो । नीति तथा कार्यक्रम प्रस्तुत गरेकामा राजालाई धन्यवाद दिने प्रस्तावमा मतदानका बेलामा कांग्रेस सांसद नै सदनमा अनुपस्थित भएपछि प्रस्ताव अस्वीकृत हुन पुगेको थियो । परिणामतः प्रधानमन्त्री कोइरालाले पदबाट राजीनामा गरेर मध्यावधि सिफारिस गरेका थिए । मध्यावधिमा कसैको बहुमत नआएपछि संसदीय विकृति उत्कर्षमा पुग्यो । 

२०५६ मा कांग्रेसले सन्त नेता कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराईलाई भावी प्रधानमन्त्री घोषणा गरेर चुनाव जितेको थियो । चुनावलगत्तै भट्टराई प्रधानमन्त्री बनाइए । तर पार्टीभित्रको अन्तरकलहकै कारण भट्टराईले १० महिना नपुग्दै ३ चैत्त २०५६ मा पदबाट राजीनामा गर्नुपरेको थियो । भट्टराईको नेतृत्वमा सरकार गठन भएको सय दिन पनि नपुग्दै पार्टीभित्रैबाट सरकारको आलोचना गर्न थालिएको थियो । पार्टीको कमान्ड कोइरालाको हातमा थियो । भट्टराईको राजीनामापछि सरकार र पार्टी दुवैको नेतृत्व कोइरालाको हातमा आयो । माओवादी द्वन्द्वविरुद्ध सेना परिचालनमा दरबारसँग भएको खटपटका कारण उनले पनि असार २०५८ मा राजीनामा दिए । 

अब प्रधानमन्त्री बन्ने पालो आयो– शेरबहादुर देउवाको । उनी दोस्रो पटक प्रधानमन्त्री भएका थिए । पार्टीभित्रकै किचलोका कारण देउवाले संसद्को बाँकी अवधि सरकार चलाउन पाएनन् । संकटकाल थप्ने कि नथप्ने विषयले पार्टीमा विवाद निम्तिएपछि ८ जेठको राति देउवाले संसद् विघटनको सिफारिस गरेका थिए । यो कदम नै राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रले १८ असोज र १९ माघमा ‘कू’ गर्ने प्रस्थानविन्दु भएको थियो ।

सशस्त्र द्वन्द्वबाट खुला राजनीतिमा आएका माओवादीलाई २०६४ को पहिलो संविधानसभा चुनावमा जनताले अपार मत दिएको थियो । बहुमतको नजिक लोकप्रिय मत पाए पनि सेनापति हटाउनेजस्ता अपरिपक्व निर्णयका कारण ९ महिनामै सरकार ढल्यो ।

बहुमत ल्याएर पनि पूरै कार्यकाल सरकार चलाउन नसकेको नेपालकै पुरानो इतिहास अब नदोहोरियोस् । विगतमा बहुमतका सरकारहरू आफ्नै दलभित्रका शक्ति संघर्षको सिकार भएका छन् ।   २०७४ मा भएको प्रतिनिधिसभा निर्वाचनमा एमाले–माओवादीसहितको वाम गठबन्धनले ऐतिहासिक जित हात पारेको थियो । प्रतिनिधिसभाको २७५ मध्ये वाम गठबन्धनले १७४ सिट जितेको थियो । झन्डै दुई तिहाइ बहुमतनजिक । उक्त बहुमत पनि फापेन । बहुमत रहे पनि पार्टीको अन्तरकलहका कारण केपी ओली नेतृत्वको सरकार साढे तीन वर्षमै ढल्न पुग्यो ।

२०७९ को निर्वाचनपछि गठन भएको पुष्पकमल दाहाल नेतृत्वको सरकारलाई पन्छाउँदै संसद्भित्रको पहिलो र दोस्रो दल क्रमशः कांग्रेस र एमालेले १७ असार २०८१ मा आलोपालो प्रधानमन्त्री बन्ने सहमति गरेर शक्तिशाली सरकार गठनको मार्गचित्र तयार गरेका थिए । त्यसैअनुसार ३० असारबाट ओलीले प्रधानमन्त्री चलाइरहेका थिए । साउन २०८३ मा देउवाको पालो आउँदै थियो । २३ र २४ भदौमा भएको जेन–जी विद्रोहले त्यसलाई भत्काइदियो । र, असमयमै मुलुक निर्वाचनमा होमिन पुग्यो । 

जेन–जी आन्दोलनको बलमा राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टी (रास्वपा) ले ठूलो मत परिणाम आफ्नो पक्षमा ल्याएको छ । यो भनेको भारतमा १९७७ को चुनावमा ‘जनता पार्टी’ ले ल्याएको मतभन्दा पनि ठूलो हो । स्थापित पार्टी र शक्तिशाली मानिएका नेताहरूलाई हराएर दुई तिहाइ बहुमतका साथ रास्वपा अब संसद् प्रवेश गर्दै छ । भारतमा जवाहरलाल नेहरू, इन्दिरा गान्धी, राजीव गान्धी तथा नरेन्द्र मोदीले बहुमतको बलमा पटक–पटक पाँच वर्षको पूरा कार्यकाल सरकार चलाएका छन् । पीबी नरसिंह राव, अटलबिहारी बाजपेयी तथा मनमोहन सिंहले सहयोगी दलसँग गठबन्धनको बलमा पाँचवर्षे पूरा अवधि सरकार चलाएका छन् । अहिले मोदीले आफ्नो तेस्रो कार्यकाल सहयोगी दलकै समर्थनमा चलाइरहेका छन् ।