The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was a political alliance in India led by the Indian National Congress. It was formed after the 2004 general election with support from left-leaning political parties when no single party got the majority.
The UPA subsequently governed India from 2004 until 2014 for two terms before losing power to their main rivals, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The UPA used to rule seven States and union territories of India before it was dissolved to form the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance on 18 July 2023 ahead of the 2024 general election.
History 2004–2008 UPA was formed soon after the 2004 Indian general election when no party had won a majority. The then ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 181 seatsSmall parties, independents in great demand of 544, as opposed to the UPA's tally of 218 seats.
The Left Front with 59 MPs (excluding the speaker of the Lok Sabha), the Samajwadi Party with 39 MPs and the Bahujan Samaj Party with 19 MPs were other significant blocks that supported UPA at various times.Originally the SP had 39 MPs . 6 MPs defied party whip and have been expelled from the party.Lok Sabha members UPA did not achieve a majority, rather it relied on external support, similar to the formula adopted by the previous minority governments of the United Front, the NDA, the Congress government of P. V. Narasimha Rao, and earlier governments of V. P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar.
An informal alliance had existed prior to the elections as several of the constituent parties had developed seat-sharing agreements in many states. After the election the results of negotiations between parties were announced. The UPA government's policies were initially guided by a common minimum programme that the alliance hammered out with consultations with Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet of the 59-member Left Front. Hence, government policies were generally perceived as centre-left, reflecting the centrist policies of the INC.
During the tenure of Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, the constituents of the UPA were, by mutual consent, supporting his government.Madhu Koda to be next Jharkhand CM . Retrieved 26 March 2007.
On 22 July 2008, the UPA survived a vote of confidence in the parliament brought on by the Left Front withdrawing their support in protest at the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement. The Congress party and its leaders along with then Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh were accused of a "cash for vote" scam as part of the cash-for-votes scandal, in which they were accused of buying votes in Lok Sabha to save the government. During UPA I, the economy saw steady economic growth and many people (100 million+) escaped poverty.
2009–2014 In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, the UPA won 262 seats, of which the INC accounted for 206. During UPA II, the alliance won election in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh. However, there were several allegations of scams during its tenure that impacted UPA's image nationwide and the approval rating for the government fell. In addition, many members left for YSRCP. This started a domino effect with members leaving to form their own parties and parties such as DMK leaving the alliance altogether. During this time UPA struggled with state election and leadership stability. The alliance suffered a defeat in 2014 Indian general election as it won only 60 seats. In addition, UPA won only one state election and got wiped out from Andhra Pradesh where they previously had 150+ MLAs.
2015–2019 From 2014 to 2017, UPA won only 3 state elections. This was blamed on the alliance's failed leadership and weakness compared to the NDA. In addition the party lost power in states where they had once won state elections as in Bihar. In 2017 the alliance lost again. In 2018 UPA had a phenomenal comeback in the state elections as the party won important in Karnataka, Rajasthan and others. More parties joined the alliance and it was stronger than ever.
In the 2019 Indian general election the UPA won only 91 seats in the general election and INC won 52 seats, thus failing to secure 10% seats required for the leader of opposition post. The alliance lost another state to the BJP with the party winning by-polls and pushing the UPA into the minority.
Towards the end of 2019, the alliance made huge gains in Haryana, won in Jharkhand and formed a state-level alliance called Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to form the government in Maharashtra with Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena leading the ministry. Shiv Sena had been a member of NDA for twenty five years. It left NDA and joined MVA in 2019.
2020–2023 Since 2020, more parties joined the alliance. The alliance lost the Bihar election that it was expected to win but in 2022, ruling party JD(U) left National Democratic Alliance and rejoined Mahagathbandhan to form the government in Bihar.
In addition UPA only won 1 out of the 5 state elections in 2021. However the alliance made significant gains in a number of MLA races. MVA lost control of Maharashtra due to crisis and split in Shiv Sena. Moreover, UPA lost in Gujarat assembly elections however, it won the state election in Himachal Pradesh.
In 2023, UPA again failed in winning elections in the North-East but won the assembly in the very important state of Karnataka.
The alliance was rebranded as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance on 18 July 2023, with many parties joining the newly-formed alliance. The alliance contested the 2024 Indian general election, serving as the primary opposition to the ruling National Democratic Alliance.
Former Members
Current Members at the time of dissolution. PartyBase state1 Indian National Congress National Party2 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Tamil Nadu, Puducherry4Shiv Sena (UBT)Maharashtra, Dadra and Nagar Haveli5 Nationalist Congress Party Maharashtra6 Rashtriya Janata Dal Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala7 Indian Union Muslim League Kerala8 Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Jammu and Kashmir9 Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Jharkhand10 Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Tamil Nadu11Revolutionary Socialist Party (India) Kerala12 Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Tamil Nadu13Assam Jatiya Parishad Assam14Goa Forward PartyGoa15Kerala CongressKerala16Revolutionary Marxist Party of IndiaKerala17Anchalik Gana MorchaAssam18Kerala Congress (Jacob)Kerala19Nationalist Congress KeralaKerala20Peasants and Workers Party of IndiaMaharashtra TotalIndia
Members left before dissolution. Political PartyStateDateReason for withdrawal BRSTelangana2006 Differences over proposed statehood for Telangana BSP National Party 2008 Congress opposed the UP government where the BSP was the ruling party JKPDP Jammu and Kashmir 2009 Congress decided to support National Conference Government in Jammu and Kashmir PMK Tamil Nadu 2009 PMK declared that it would join the AIADMK led front AIMIM Telangana 2012 Accused Congress led State Government of Communalism AITC West Bengal 2012 AITC's demands on rollbacks and reforms not met, including the governments decision to allow FDI in retail and hike in the prices of railway tickets. SJ(D) Kerala 2014 It merged with Janata Dal (United) on 29 December 2014. RLDUttar Pradesh2014Decided to leave after 2014 election performance.JD(S) Karnataka 2019 After JD(S)-INC alliance govt fell in Karnataka, two parties decided to end alliance. RLSP Bihar 2020 Withdrawn support before Bihar Assembly Election 2020 & Allied with BSP+ on 29 September 2020.VIPBihar2020Withdrawn support before Bihar Assembly Election 2020 & Allied with NDAKC(M)Kerala2020Decided to join LDFBPFAssam2021Withdrew due to performance in 2021 Assam election.AIUDFAssam2021Party was expelled from the alliance.SSMaharashtra2022 Shiv Sena Split in 2022
Poll performances +2004 Lok Sabha ElectionSr.noPartySeats WonSeat ChangeVote%1.Indian National Congress145 3226.7%2.Rashtriya Janata Dal24 172.2%3.Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam16 41.8%4.Nationalist Congress Party9 11.8%5.Lok Janshakti Party40.6%6.Telangana Rashtra Samithi20.6%7.Pattali Makkal Katchi6 10.5%8.Jharkhand Mukti Morcha50.5%9.Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam40.4%10.Indian Union Muslim League1 10.2%11.Republican Party of India (Athawale)10.1%12.Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party10.1%Total218 8335.4% +2009 Lok Sabha ElectionSr.noPartySeats WonSeat Change1.Indian National Congress206 612.Rashtriya Janata Dal4 203.Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam18 24.Nationalist Congress Party9 15.All India Trinamool Congress19 186.Jammu & Kashmir National Conference3 37.Bodoland People's Front1 18.Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 39.All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen1 110.Indian Union Muslim League2 111.Kerala Congress (Mani)1 1Total262 44
List of presidents Note that it refers to nomination by alliance, as the offices of President and Vice President are apolitical.
Presidents PortraitName(birth–death)Term of office Electoral mandates
Time in office Previous post Vice president Party 12Pratibha Patil 25 July 2007 25 July 2012 Governor of RajasthanMohammad Hamid Ansari (2007–12)Indian National Congress 2007 13Pranab Mukherjee 25 July 2012 25 July 2017Union Minister of FinanceMohammad Hamid Ansari (2012–17)2012
List of Vice presidents PortraitName Elected(% votes) Took office Left office Term President(s) Party 12 Mohammad Hamid Ansari(b.1937) 2007(67.21) 11 August 2007 10 August 2017 Pratibha PatilIndian National Congress 2012(67.31)Pranab Mukherjee
List of prime ministers
+ List of prime ministers of India No. Prime ministers Portrait Term in office Lok Sabha Government Cabinet Constituency Start End Tenure13Manmohan Singh 22 May 2004 26 May 2014 14thUPA I Manmohan Singh I Rajya Sabha MP From Assam 15thUPA II Manmohan Singh II
Candidates in elections Lok Sabha general elections 2009 Indian general election 2014 Indian general election 2019 Indian general election
Electoral performance ElectionSeats wonChangeTotal votesShare of votesSwingStatusUPA Leader2009New158,305,00636.66%NewManmohan Singh2014202130,664,85823.59%13.07%Sonia Gandhi201931177,645,34629.00%5.41%Rahul Gandhi
Controversies The winter session of parliament in October 2008 came under intense criticism from the Left parties and the BJP to demand a full-fledged winter session instead of what was seen as the UPA to having "scuttled the voice of Parliament" by bringing down the sittings to a record low of 30 days in the year. The tensions between the UPA and the opposition parties became evident at an all-party meeting convened by Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee when the leader of opposition, L. K. Advani questioned the status, timing and schedule of the current session of parliament.
M. Karunanidhi had said he felt "let down" by the "lukewarm" response of the centre and had demanded amendments in the resolution on Sri Lanka -
One of the amendments was to "declare that genocide and war crimes had been committed and inflicted on the Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sri Lanka Army and the administrators". The second one was "establishment of a credible and independent international commission of investigation in a time-bound manner into the allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, violations of international International human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law and crime of genocide against the Tamils". Karunanidhi said Parliament should adopt the resolution incorporating these two amendments.