janata

Janata is a term from Hindustani languages meaning “the people” or “the public.” In political usage, it has been adopted by several South Asian parties and movements, particularly in India, as a label signifying democratic governance and popular sovereignty. The word appears in the names of major national parties as well as regional outfits, reflecting a tradition of appealing to the electorate and public accountability.

In India, the best-known use of the name is the Janata Party, formed in 1977 as a broad coalition of anti-Congress groups, including factions that descended from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and various Socialist and regional organizations. The party won the general election that year and, under Morarji Desai, formed the first non‑Congress central government since independence. The Janata Party’s tenure lasted until 1979, when internal divisions led to its collapse and a new government led by Charan Singh briefly took office. By the early 1980s the party had largely dissolved into its component groups, with some former members returning to their original parties or forming new ones; the Bharatiya Jana Sangh lineage ultimately resurfaced in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Janata Party era ended.

Subsequently, new coalitions and parties using the Janata name emerged, most notably the Janata Dal, founded in 1988 from remnants of the Janata Party and allied groups. Janata Dal itself later split into factions such as Janata Dal (United) and Janata Dal (Secular), which have continued to participate in Indian politics.

Beyond India, the term Janata is used in other South Asian political contexts, reflecting its broader meaning as “the people” in local languages.