1996 Indian general election

The 1996 Indian general election was held in four phases from April 27 to May 2, 1996, to elect the 11th Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. The election marked a significant moment in Indian political history, as it witnessed the first instance in which no single party emerged with a clear majority. The Indian National Congress (INC), led by P. V. Narasimha Rao, secured 140 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under the leadership of L. K. Advani, gained 161 seats but also fell short of a majority. Several regional parties gained prominence, reflecting the increasing fragmentation of the political landscape. The post-election scenario led to the formation of a coalition government, with H. D. Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal assuming the position of Prime Minister. The election underscored the evolving dynamics of Indian democracy and party politics in the 1990s.