Ayodhya and Ram Temple movement -- Linked to BJP's politics of growth and Congress downfall ... especially in Uttar Pradesh

In 1984 parliamentary polls immediately after Indira Gandhi's assassination, the Congress under Rajiv Gandhi could win 414 seats recording a vote share of 46.86 per cent --- that means little less than 50 per cent. And hence all opposition parties including the Congress will now in 2023-24 do well to note that about 54 per cent Indians had 'rejected' the Congress then.

This observation is drawn on the present day's opposition argument when when they claim nearly 63 per cent of Indians did not vote for Narendra Modi in 2019. That's besides the point. The article is hardly a case to defend or oppose the present system of elections.  

In fact, in 1984, the polls were a landslide victory for Congress, which won 404 of the 514 seats elected in 1984 and a further 10 in the delayed elections. In first installment of main elections when Congress had won 404 seats, its vote share was more than 49 per cent.

However, five years later post-Bofors controversy and opposition unity under the banner called National Front in 1989 elections, the Congress tally came down to 197.  

In Uttar Pradesh, Congress tally in Uttar Pradesh was only 15 while Janata Dal had 54. True, India's largest state so far had decided who rules the country. By the time elections were held in 1991, Mandir issue was in public debate, L K Advani was already arrested and Mandal politics also had entered the discussions table and also the battlefield. 

The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri dispute and the BJP's call for construction of the temple at Ayodhya became the hot topic in the state and also in the cow belt. And as a result, the BJP emerged the chief gainer riding of course the Ayodhya/Advani's Rath. 

Shilanyas was by Rajiv in 1989: But BJP benefitted

In 1991 elections were held in 82 seats in UP and the saffron party could raise the tally by over six times--- 8 to 50 out of 82. The BJP received an overwhelming support with a success rate of 60.98 per cent and the Congress success rate dropped to 6.25 per cent in Uttar Pradesh. The fact of the matter is Congress has not been able to improve its performance in Uttar Pradesh since then except for 2009 Lok Sabha elections. 

In 1991 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP wrested as many as 45 seats from all other opponents while it had to give away only three seats from its 1989 achievements. In contrast, the Congress lost 11 seats from its 15 it had won in 1989 and its vote share in Uttar Pradesh declined sharp from 31.77 per cent to 19.94 per cent.  

Some years later in 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA was given a shocking defeat and Congress and UPA came to power, the real damage to the saffron party was caused by the Samajwadi Party. 

The outfit left by Mulayam Singh Yadav had won as many as 35 seats and BJP's tally was restricted to 10 and BSP of Mayawati had won 19. The Congress vote share was around 12 per cent and it won 9 seats. But in 2009, the Congress tally improved to 21 and the vote share also jumped to 18.25 per cent. 

The Samajwadi tally came down to 23 and vote share also dropped to 23.26 per cent. The BJP tally remained 10. 

But in 2014 when Rajnath Singh was BJP president and Amit Shah party in-charge for UP, there was dramatic transition and riding the Modi wave, the Lotus party could win 71 seats out of 80 on its own and 2 seats came to BJP's ally Apna Dal. 

In 2019, even as the saffron party crossed 300 mark, its tally came down to 62.  The Congress tragedy was remarkable. In 2014, Rahul Gandhi from Amethi and Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareily could win; but in 2019 - Rahul tasted defeat against BJP's fiery debater Smriti Irani, and the Congress tally in Uttar Pradesh was only one. 

The Congress vote share was a modest 6.36 per cent.