United Progressive Alliance
Also called: UPA · Topic: Recent Developments in Indian Politics: Coalitions, Mandal and a New Consensus · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 7 "Elections"; Class 12, Ch 8 "Recent Developments in Indian Politics"
Meaning
The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was a coalition led by the Congress. A coalition is a government formed by two or more parties. The UPA governed from 2004 to 2014, with Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister for both terms. Its first government depended on the Left, which supported it from outside without joining the cabinet.
Example
In 2004 the Congress won 145 seats and formed the UPA government. The UPA's shared agenda was its National Common Minimum Programme. It passed rights-based laws such as RTI 2005, NREGA 2005, RTE 2009 and NFSA 2013. The Left withdrew support in July 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal, but the UPA survived a trust vote. In 2009 the Congress rose to 206 seats.
Don't confuse with
- United Front (1996-98): This was a Janata Dal-led government under Deve Gowda and then Gujral. The Congress supported it from outside. The UPA was led by the Congress itself.