<P> Raj Narain, a socialist leader, had filed a legal writ alleging electoral malpractice against Indira Gandhi in 1971 . On 12 June 1975, Allahabad High Court found her guilty of using corrupt electoral practices in her 1971 election victory over Narain in the Rae Bareli constituency . She was barred from contesting any election for the next six years . Economic problems, corruption and the conviction of Gandhi led to widespread protests against the Congress (R) government, which responded by imposing a State of Emergency . The rationale was that of preserving national security . However, the government introduced press censorship, postponed elections and banned strikes and rallies . Opposition leaders such as Biju Patnaik, Jayaprakash Narayan, Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Jivatram Kripalani and Morarji Desai were imprisoned, along with thousands of other political activists . When the State of Emergency was lifted and new elections called in 1977, opposition political parties such as the Congress (O), Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal as well as defectors from the Congress (R) joined to form the Janata party, which won a sweeping majority in the Indian Parliament . Narain defeated Gandhi at Rae Bareli in those elections . </P> <P> The new Janata - led government reversed many Emergency - era decrees and opened official investigations into Emergency - era abuses . Although several major foreign policy and economic reforms were attempted, continuous in - fighting and ideological differences made the Janata government unable to effectively address national problems . By mid-1979, Prime Minister Morarji Desai was forced to resign and his successor Chaudhary Charan Singh failed to sustain a parliamentary majority as alliance partners withdrew support . Popular disenchantment with the political in - fighting and ineffective government led to the resurgence of Gandhi and her new Congress (I) party, which won the general election called in 1980 . Although the original Janata Party fragmented and dissolved, modern political parties continue to invoke its legacy . In August 2013, the party was merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party . </P> <P> Having led the Indian independence movement, the Indian National Congress became the most popular political party in independent India and won every election following national independence in 1947 . However, the Indian National Congress bifurcated in 1967 over the issue of the leadership of Indira Gandhi, the daughter of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru . Supporters of Indira Gandhi claimed to be the real Congress party, adopting the name Indian National Congress (R)--where "R" stood for "Requisition ." Congress politicians who opposed Indira identified themselves as the Indian National Congress (O)--where "O" stood for "Organisation" or "Old ." For the 1971 election, the Congress (O), Samyukta Socialist Party and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh had formed a coalition called the "Grand Alliance" to oppose Indira Gandhi and the Congress (R), but failed to have an impact; Indira's Congress (R) won a large majority in the 1971 elections and her popularity increased significantly after India's victory in the war of 1971 against Pakistan . </P> <P> However, Indira's subsequent inability to address serious issues such as unemployment, poverty, inflation and shortages eroded her popularity . The frequent invoking of "President's rule" to dismiss state governments led by opposition political parties was seen as authoritarian and opportunist . Political leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Kripalani and Congress (O) chief Morarji Desai condemned Indira's government as dictatorial and corrupt . Narayan and Desai founded the Janata Morcha (People's Front), the predecessor of what would become the Janata party . The Janata Morcha won the elections for the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislature) of the state of Gujarat on 11 June 1975 . </P>

Who resigned in 1951 and founded new party