Question

The alliance that has formed the government at the centre the maximum number of times :

• A. United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
• B. National Front
• C. United Front
• D. National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

Hint:

To remember major Indian political alliances: - UPA: Led by Indian National Congress (Govt in 2004, 2009). - NDA: Led by Bharatiya Janata Party (Govt in 1998, 1999, 2014, 2019, 2024).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept: The late 1980s marked the beginning of the "Coalition Era" in Indian politics, ending the dominant single-party rule of the Indian National Congress. Political parties began coming together to form pre-poll and post-poll alliances to secure the required majority of seats in the Lok Sabha.

Step 1: Analysis of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The UPA is a coalition of center-left political parties in India led by the Indian National Congress (INC). It formed national government twice consecutively: first in 2004 (UPA-I) and then in 2009 (UPA-II) under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Step 2: Analysis of National Front and United Front.
- The National Front was a coalition led by Janata Dal, supported by external parties, which formed government once in 1989 under V.P. Singh.
- The United Front was a coalition formed after the 1996 general elections, forming governments twice between 1996 and 1998 under H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral.

Step 3: Analysis of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The NDA, formed in May 1998, is a coalition of center-right political parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The NDA has formed the central government a total of five times across different parliamentary terms:
• 1998 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee (13 months)
• 1999 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Full 5-year term, 1999–2004)
• 2014 under Narendra Modi (NDA-III)
• 2019 under Narendra Modi (NDA-IV)
• 2024 under Narendra Modi (NDA-V) Comparing all coalitions, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has formed government at the centre maximum number of times.