• Congress emerged as the single dominant party in India but it was different from One Party Dominance in other countries like China , USSR etc where constitution allowed just one party.

Reasons why Congress emerged as Single Dominant Party within India

• Congress was the main party  fighting for freedom struggle movement . It had inherited the legacy of Indian National Congress Movements and their stalwart leaders.
• Due to their strong organizational network throughout the country, it reached out to the masses instantly . It was impossible for other political parties to organize themselves in such a short time .
• Congress was an ideological coalition. It accommodated the revolutionary and pacifist, conservative and radical, extremist and moderate and the right, left and all shades of the centre

=> Noted political scientist, Rajni Kothari termed this period of Indian Politics as “The Congress system”

Socialist Party

• Roots of Socialist Party lay in Congress Socialist Party formed in 1934
• Later after independence, the congress party had changed the rule regarding dual membership and barred the C.S.P members with congress’s membership. This situation compelled CSP leaders to form separate Socialist Party in 1948.
• Socialist party leaders criticized congress for favouring capitalists and landlord and ignoring teaming masses like workers, peasants.
• Socialist party was in big dilemma when the congress party in 1955 declared its goal to be the socialist pattern of society. In such scenario, their leader Ashok Mehta offered limited cooperation with the congress.  Many faction emerged from the split and union of the socialist party viz. Kisan Mazdoor Praja party, Praja Socialist party, Samyukta Socialist Party

Bhartiya Jan Sangh

• Formed in 1951  by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and trace its roots with RSS & Hindu Mahasabha
• Emphasised the idea of ‘ONE COUNTRY, ONE CULTURE AND ONE NATION‘
• BJP in traces its origin to BJS

Communist Party of India

• Took inspiration from Bolshevik Revolution . Communists believed in violent uprising, as they thought transfer of power was not genuine. Very few people believed in their ideology and they got crushed by the armed force. They later abandoned violent means and participated in general elections and emerged as second largest opposition party.
• It had well organized dedicated cadre and healthy machinery to run political party.
• stalwart leaders included A.K. Gopalan, S.A. Dange, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, P.C. Joshi, Ajay Ghosh and P. Sundarrya.

Swatantra Party

• Swatantra party was formed in August 1959 after Nagpur resolution of the Congress which called for
  • land ceilings,
  • takeover of food grain trade by the state,
  • adoption of cooperative farming.

They didn’t believe this resolution.

• The party believed lesser involvement of the government in economy. It opposed the development strategy of state intervention in economy, central planning, nationalization, Public sector. They opposed progressive tax regime, demanded dismantling of license Raj.
• It was critical of non-alignment policy and friendly relations with the Soviet Union and advocated closer ties with the U.S.A.
• The industrialist and big landlords had supported this party.
• This party has a very limited influence, lacked dedicated cadres, so it didn’t perform well.
• The stalwart of party were C. Rajagopalachari, K.M. Munshi, N.G. Ranga and Minoo Masani.