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www.GOALias.blogspot.comThe Crisis of Democratic Order 119eve of the elections and formed a new party, known as theJanata Party. The new party accepted the leadership ofJayaprakash Narayan. Some leaders of the Congress whowere opposed to the Emergency also joined this new party.Some other Congress leaders also came out and formed aseparate party under the leadership of Jagjivan Ram. Thisparty named as Congress for Democracy, later merged withthe Janata Party.The Janata Party made this election into a referendumon the Emergency. Its campaign was focused on the nondemocraticcharacter of the rule and on the various excessesthat took place during this period. In the backdrop of arrestsof thousands of persons and the censorship of the Press,the public opinion was against the Congress. JayaprakashNarayan became the popular symbol of restoration ofdemocracy. The formation of the Janata Party also ensuredthat non-Congress votes would not be divided. It was evidentthat the going was tough for the Congress.Yet the final results took everyone by surprise. Forthe first time since Independence, the Congress party wasdefeated in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress couldwin only 154 seats in the Lok Sabha. Its share of popularvotes fell to less than 35 per cent. The Janata Party andMorarji Desai(1896-1995): Freedomfighter; a Gandhianleader; Proponenet ofKhadi, naturopathy andprohibition; Chief Ministerof Bombay State; DeputyPrime Minister (1967-1969); joined Congress(O) after the split in theparty; Prime Minister from1977 to 1979—first PrimeMinister belonging to anon-Congress party.Credit: R. K. Laxman in the Times of IndiaA cartoonist’sreading of whowon and whatwas defeated inthe 1977 election.Those standingwith the commonman includeJagjivan Ram,Morarji Desai,Charan Singhand Atal BehariVajpayee.