The 1990s witnessed the emergence of powerful parties and movements that represented the Dalit and backward castes (Other Backward Classes or OBC). Many of these parties represented powerful regional assertion as well. These parties played a major role in the United Front government that came to power in 1996. The United Front was similar to the National Front which included Janata Dal and several regional parties. This time the BJP did not support the government. The United Front government was supported by the Congress. In 1996, the Left continued to support the non-Congress government. This time the Congress, supported it, as both the Congress and the Left wanted to keep the BJP out of power.
But they did not succeed for long, as the BJP continued to consolidate its position in the elections of 1991 and 1996. It emerged as the largest party in 1996 elections and was invited to form the government. Then most other parties were opposed to its political and therefore, the BJP government could not secure a majority in the Lok Sabha. But finally it came to power by leading a coalition government from May 1998 to June 1999. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister during both these NDA governments and his government completed its full term.
