Background
India's general elections in 1996 brought about a fractured verdict. With the Bharatiya Janata Party emerging as the largest party, with 161 seats, it was invited first to form a government. In 13 days, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government fell, and other parties met to come up with a solution. The Indian National Congress, with a substantial 140 seats, declined to head the government and along with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), agreed to extend outside support to a coalition with the Janata Dal at its head, named the "United Front". Other members of the front included the Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Asom Gana Parishad, Tamil Maanila Congress, Communist Party of India and Telugu Desam Party.
With the approval of the Congress and CPI(M), the sitting Chief Minister of Karnataka, H. D. Deve Gowda, was asked to head the coalition as Prime Minister after V. P. Singh and Jyoti Basu declined. His term was from June 1, 1996 - April 21, 1997. The Congress revoked its support to Gowda amidst discontent over communication between the coalition and the Congress. It compromised to support a new government under I. K. Gujral, who was Prime Minister from April 21, 1997 - March 19, 1998. Following the collapse of his government, fresh elections were called, and the United Front lost power.
The United Front was a successor to the National Front with looser cohesion between the parties.
(Another United Front in Indian politics was the coalition that held two governments in West Bengal 1967-1971.)
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