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Indian General Elections 1952

First instance of general elections following Universal Adult Suffrage (people aged 21 years or more) in Independent India. 176 million Indians were voting for the first time, 85% of whom could not read or write.

Important political parties were:

  • Socialist Party -- Jayaprakash Narayan, part of the Quit India Movement
  • Jana Sangh -- predecessors to the BJP
  • Communist Party of India -- strong in Telangana after the revolution there.
  • Indian national congress -- eventual winner

Nehru did a huge tour of the country where he covered it end to end in 9 weeks, addressing millions of people in his speeches.

The voter turnout was about 60%. Congress eventually won 364 seats out of 489 in Parliament. Nehru's popularity was on display as Ambedkar lost in Bombay to an obscure politician called Kajrolkar.