The Sikh Diaspora: The Search for Statehood - Vidhia.com

14 THE SIKHS: SEARCH FOR STATEHOOD
Table 1.2 Percentage of votes polled by political parties in Punjab’s legislative
assembly elections.
1967 1969 1972 1977 1980 1985 1992 1997
Congr
ess (I)
37.7 39.2 42.8 33.6 45.2 37.9 43.8 26.4
Akali
Dal
20.5 29.4 27.6 31.4 26.9 38.0 a 37.2
BJP 9.8 9.0 5.0 15.0 6.5 5.0 16.6 10.8
CPI 5.3 4.8 6.5 6.6 6.5 4.3 3.4 2.9
CPM 3.2 3.1 3.3 3.5 4.1 1.9 2.7 c
Other
Parties
7.7 5.6 2.5 0.4 4.4 1.1 23.5b 23.2b Indepe
ndents
15.8 8.9 12.3 9.6 6.5 11.9 9.6 c
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.1 100.1 100.1 100.6 100.0
CPI = Punjab branch of Communist Party of India (Right)
CPM = Punjab branch of Communist Party of India (Marxist)
BJP = Bhartiya Janata Party
a During the 1992 election, the Akali Dal boycotted the elections. The turnout
of voters was 24.3%; in 1997 it was 69.9%.
b For 1992 other parties with their respective shares are Bahujan Samaj Party 16.
2%, Janata Dal 2.1% and Akali Dal (Kabul) 5.2%. For 1997 other
parties with their respective shares are Bahujan Samaj Party 7.5%,
Akali Dal (Mann) 2.9%, CPM, Janata Dal and Samajvadi Party.
c Included in other parties.
Sources: For 1965–85 election, V.B.Singh and S.Bose, State Elections in
India: Data Handbook on Vidhan Sabha Elections, 1952–1985, vol.
1, The North, Part 1, 1987; for 1992 and 1997 elections, Gurharpal
Singh (1992, 1997).
could not vote the Akali Dal into power without political alliances.
Between 1967 and 1980 they formed three coalition governments. The
Akalis’ solution was to form an alliance with non-Congress parties for
elections and coalition governments. As Indira Gandhi returned to
power at the centre in 1980, the Akali coalition government was
toppled.
Modernization, encompassing rising prosperity, urbanization and
commercialization of the rural society, threw up issues of religious
authority and orthodoxy. The Akalis had always projected themselves
as champions of the Khalsa, but their pragmatic alliances with the
Hindu political parties, once their archenemies, alarmed several puritan
groups. These orthodox groups alleged that the Akali Dal and the SGPC