June 15, 1977, Forty Years Ago: Janata Wave Again
The Janata Party was set to make a clean sweep of the Assembly elections in most of North India as the Congress suffered as severe a debacle as in the Lok Sabha election. At midnight, the Janata Party had achieved absolute majority in Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. The Janata Party-Akali Dal-CPM alliance secured an equally impressive victory in Punjab. In Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, the Janata Party was racing towards forming governments. Initial results from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh showed the Janata Party well ahead of its rivals. In West Bengal, however, the CPM-led Left alliance secured a big lead over the Janata Party while the Congress had yet to open its account till midnight. In Tamil Nadu, out of 36 results declared, the AIDMK had won 31 seats, the Congress and the DMK five each, while Janata got only one seat and the CPM two. If the trend continues, the Janata Party will have no difficulty in getting its nominee elected President. Two former chief ministers, S.C. Shukla in Rajasthan and Banarsi Dasgupta of Haryana, lost their seats.
Cong Lose Rajasthan
The Janata Party has gained an absolute majority in the 200-member Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha, putting to an end the 28-year-old Congress rule in the state. Janata has captured 128 of the 167 seats, the results of which were announced till late evening. The Congress, which had 145 members out of 184 in the last Vidhan Sabha, has been able to capture only 35 seats so far. The CPI, which had five members in the dissolved house, has to rest content with only one seat.
Janata Sweeps Delhi
The Janata Party was heading for a two-third majority in the Delhi Municipal Corporation. Of the 81 seats for which results had been announced, the Janata had secured 66, the Congress 13, the CPI one and one independent. Results for 19 more seats are still to be declared.
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