Source:

Official website of the government Election Commission [ID 6202]

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Source:

Background information and details on elections and political parties in India [ID 6203]

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05.06.2007 - Source: Hanns Seidel Stiftung

Monthly report on recent developments (May 2007); political situation ("Indien Monatsbericht Mai 2007") [ID 20917]

Sonja Gandhi did not win in Uttar Pradesh; Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under Mayawati won absolute majority; background information on the Uttar Pradesh elections

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25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

National elections brought the UPA coaltion government to office ("Annual Report 2005") [#32264],  [ID 6204]

"“[...]In May the ruling National Democratic Alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suffered a surprise defeat in national elections which brought the UPA coalition government, led by the Congress Party, to office. Manmohan Singh was appointed Prime Minister after party leader Sonia Gandhi declined the post. The BJP retained power in several states and the party returned to a more overtly Hindu nationalist agenda. [...]"

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Open document

10.2004 - Source: UK Home Office

National elections 2004 ("Country Report - October 2004") [#28325],  [ID 6205]

"“[...]
4.12 As reported by BBC news on 1 March 2004, and CNN on 20 April 2004 early elections were called by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and voting held over 4 days starting on 20 April and ending on 10 May. Ballots were cast on electronic voting machines for the first time with 675 million eligible to vote. [32ay] [33e] A CNN report of 20 April 2004 and a further BBC report of 29 April 2004 announced that India's autonomous election commission had ordered an inquiry into complaints of widespread vote-rigging and other irregularities in Bihar. Violence and ballot box theft required reballoting in some areas. [32dj] [33e]
4.13 As recorded in the India Today May 2004 issue, in an unexpected turnaround, the Congress-led front emerged victorious, securing 217 (35.19%) with its allies: RJD, NCP, DMK, PMK, MDMK, TRS, JMM, LNJSP, JKPDP. The BJP and allies (Shiv Sena, JD(U), SAD, BJD, Trinamool, ADMK, TDP) secured 185 seats (35.31%), and others 136 seats. [11g](p3-10) As noted in the FCO website, reviewed 27 May 2004, the surprise result saw the former BJP-led coalition government resign. [7i](p2)
4.14 As reflected in the CRS (Congressional Research Service) Report for Congress issued on 12 July 2004 “Investor fears that a new coalition government including communists might curtail or halt India’s economic reform and liberalization process apparently led to huge losses in the country’s stock markets….Market recovery began after Congress Party leaders offered assurances that the new government would be ‘pro-growth, pro-savings, and pro-investment…. Other analysts saw in the results a rejection of the Hindu nationalism associated with the BJP (just days after a December 2002 state election victory in Gujarat, the BJP’s president declared that his party would “duplicate the Gujarat experience everywhere” as it represented a “mandate for the [Hindutva] ideology)”[64](p6)
4.15 The BBC reported on 18 May 2004 that Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress Party, had declined the prime ministership. [32dl] According to the BBC timeline for India and the CRS Report for Congress, Manmohan Singh, a former finance minister, was sworn in as Prime Minister on 22 May 2004, becoming India’s first-ever non-Hindu Prime Minister. He leads a coalition government, called the United Progressive Alliance. [32bf] [64](p2)[7i](p2) As cited in the US State Department Background Note for India, August 2004, Party President Sonia Gandhi was re-elected by the Party National Executive in May 2004. [2f](p6) A BBC report of 1 June 2004 reported that the BJP, the main opposition party elected L.K. Advani, the former Deputy Prime Minister as its new leader. [32dr]
4.16 As noted in the CRS Report for Congress, 12 July 2004, Prime Minister Singh has said that development will be a central priority of the UPA government with reforms aimed at reducing poverty and increasing employment. The foreign policy focus will be on India’s immediate neighbours. "The UPA has indicated that it will make the 1972 Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan the basis of its relationship with Islamabad even as it will abide by all subsequent accords.” The two countries vowed to bolster defence and trade ties, while moving forward to resolve outstanding territorial disputes. [64](p10-11) For further information please see Annex C: Summary of election results and Annex D: Political make up of government. [...]"

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02.07.2004 - Source:

Elections in India [ID 6206]

"Lok Sabha: 20 and 26 april and 5 and 10 may 2004 (57.9 %) % 545

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National Democratic Alliance NDA 35.3 185
- Bharatiya Janata Party BJP 22.2 138
- Telugu Desam TDP 3.2 5
- All-India Anna Diravida Munnetra Kazhagam ADMK 2.3 -
- Janata Dal (United) JD(U) 2.0 7
- Shiva Sena SHS 1.9 12
- All India Trinamool Congress AITC 1.7 2
- Shiromani Akali Dal SAD 1.0 8
- Biju Janta Dal BJD 0.9 11
- Nagaland People's Front NPF 0.2 1
- Mizo National Front MNF 0.1 1
INC and allies INC 34.6 217
- India National Congress INC 26.8 145
- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam DMK 1.9 16
- Nationalist Congress Party NCP 1.9 9
- Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD 1.9 21
- Telangana Rashtra Samithi TRS 0.7 5
- Pattali Makkal Katchi PMK 0.6 6
- Lok Jan Shakti Party LJNSP 0.6 3
- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM 0.5 5
- Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhhagam 0.5 4
- Muslim League Kerala State Committee MUL 0.1 1
- Republican Party of India (A) RPI(A) 0.1 1
- Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party JKPDP 0.1 1
Left Front LF 7.6 59
- Communist Party of India-Marxist CPI-M 5.5 43
- Communist Party of India CPI 1.4 10
- Revolutionary Socialist Party RSP 0.5 3
- All India Forward Bloc AIFB 0.2 3
Bahujan Samaj Party BSP 5.1 19
Samajwadi Party SP 4.3 36
Janata Dal (Secular) JD(S) 1.6 4
Rashtriya Lok Dal RLD 0.6 3
Asom Gana Parishad AGP 0.5 2
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference JKNC 0.1 2
All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimmen AIMIM 0.1 1
Kerala Congress KEC 0.1 1
National Loktantrik Party NLP 0.1 1
Samajwadi Janata Party (R) SJP(R) 0.1 1
Indian Federal Democratic Party IFDP 0.1 1
Bjaratiya Navshakti Party BNP 0.1 1
Sikkim Democratic Front SDF 0.1 1
Loktantrik Jan Samta Party LJSP 0.0 1
Non-partisans 4.2 4
nominated members - 2
Source: rediff.com"

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