The Janata Party (Secular) was an Indian political party founded by

Raj Narain Raj Narain (23 November 1917 – 31 December 1986) was an Indian freedom fighter and politician. He won in a famous electoral malpractice case against the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which led to her disqualification and, eventually, im ...

in July 1979. On 16 July 1979, Chaudhary Charan Singh assumed its leadership and became the

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Union Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers, despite the president of ...

on 28 July 1979 with the support of the

Indian National Congress (I) The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement ...

but resigned on 20 August 1979 after their withdrawal of support. The Janata Party led by Charan Singh was later renamed as

Lok Dal Lokdal or Lok Dal is an Indian political party based on agriculture policies, founded by former Prime Minister Charan Singh. It was founded on 26 September 1979 by merging Janata Party (Secular), Socialist Party (Limaye) and Orissa Janata Party ...

before the

1980 Indian general election General elections were held in India on 3 and 6 January 1980 to elect the members of the 7th Lok Sabha, seventh Lok Sabha. The Janata Party alliance came into power in the 1977 Indian general election, 1977 general elections amidst public anger ...

but officially contested in the elections under its previous name. In the elections for the

7th Lok Sabha The 7th Lok Sabha, (18 January 1980 – 31 December 1984) was elected in 1980 Indian general election. The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is the lower house in the Parliament of India nine sitting members from Rajya Sabha were elected to 7th Lo ...

in 1980, the party won 41 seats and received 9.39% of the total votes polled. In 1980 the party was merged into the

Lokdal Lokdal or Lok Dal is an Indian political party based on agriculture policies, founded by former Prime Minister Charan Singh. It was founded on 26 September 1979 by merging Janata Party (Secular), Socialist Party (Limaye) and Orissa Janata Party ...

, that would form, along with other parties, the

Janata Dal Janata Dal () was an List of political parties in India, Indian political party which was formed through the merger of Lok Dal, Indian National Congress (Jagjivan), and the Jan Morcha on 11 October 1988—the birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Na ...

in 1988.

Notes

{{reflist Defunct political parties in India Political parties established in 1979 1979 establishments in India Political parties with year of disestablishment missing Janata Party (Secular)

See also

Notes