Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister when the Janata Party
rode the anti-Congress wave after the Emergency to defeat Indira
Gandhi's party. Morarji himself was an old-time Congressman, who
quit the party as the Deputy PM, following differences with Indira
Gandhi. A committed Gandhian, Morarji began his political career
by joining the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, after quitting
his job as a Deputy Collector of the Bombay Provincial Civil Service.
While participating in the freedom struggle, he was jailed several
times. Morarji was elected to several important posts in the
Congress during the freedom struggle and became the Chief
Minister of Bombay after the first general elections of 1952. His
tenure was known for its efficiency and integrity. Morarji also held
several Cabinet posts in successive Congress governments, till he
left the party in July 1969. He became the chairman of the Indian
National Congress (Organisation) in Parliament in November 1969.
In 1977, India saw its first coalition come together, comprising the
INC (O), Bharatiya Lok Dal, Bharatiya Jan Sangha and Socialist
Party. The coalition won the elections and Morarji was made the PM.
His government increased the Plan outlay for agriculture and threw
out a number of foreign corporates, including Coca Cola. He had to
ultimately resign, unable to sustain the internal contradictions of the
coalition.
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