ABSTRACT
Caste, religion and India-wide leadership were three national themes in India's 1991 Parliamentary elections resulting in the Congress Party returning to power in New Delhi after two years in the opposition. This chapter provides a succinct listing of seven major observations concerning the national scene stemming from the elections. These include: no north/south or regional patterns; Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as a national party; no dominant party; people power; political violence; major immediate post-election policy issues were not central; and leadership in the Congress Party. "People power" in the form of a state-wide reaction to the perceived repression during the previous regime became the over-riding issue. Personality and past records of the three major leaders certainly received prominent attention in campaigning, discussions and in the press. An overriding conclusion stemming from the 1991 elections in India is the importance of elections and electoral participation in addressing problems that are central to the population.
