After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, Congress won the elections in 1984. Rajiv Gandhi became the next Prime Minister. During the end of 1980s, there were many major changes that could be seen in politics that affected the later period.
i. Decline of Congress: Congress Party got massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections held in 1984. But the 1989 elections was the period of defeat, in which the Congress won only 197 seats. This marked the end of the ‘Congress system’. Although the Congress improved its performance, in 1991 Lok Sabha it lost the kind of centrality it had earlier enjoyed. Thus, the elections of 1989 marked the beginning of coalition era. In 1989, both the BJP and the left supported the National Front Government.
ii. Anti Mandal protest: The new government of the National Front implemented the Mandal Commission Report in 1990. These recommendations mentioned the reservation of backward classes in the educational institutions and employment of the Central government. Due to which there were many protests in several parts of India.
iii. New economic changes: India’s New Economic Policy was launched in 1991. The economic changes first became visible in 1991 and radically changed the direction that Indian Economy had pursued since independence towards liberalised and open country.