CHENNAI: The year 1999 was the most memorable politically for two reasons: firstly, a regional party ensured the fall of Central government formed by a national party and secondly, the DMK, well-known for its anti-religious character, joined hands with the BJP, raising several eyebrows. While the Congress which boasted of 141 MPs brought down the I K Gujral government in 1998, a year later, the AIADMK with just 18 seats in the Lok Sabha brought down the BJP’s A B Vajpayee government, catapulting Jayalalithaa onto the national stage.

Vajpayee’s second stint as Prime Minister in 1998 might have been beneficial for the BJP’s other partner in the State - the PMK - which got its first Cabinet berth. However, the AIADMK was not happy with its alliance partner refusing to fulfil its demands. It was no secret that Jayalalithaa was pushing for dissolution of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. On winning the 1996 State election with a thumping majority, the Karunanidhi-led DMK had booked many corruption cases against Jayalalithaa. 

With the BJP refusing to comply with Jayalalithaa’s direction by dissolving the State government and refusing to remove certain ministers from the Cabinet, she decided to teach her national ally a befitting lesson by withdrawing support. 

Taking advantage of Subramanian Swamy’s discontent with Vajpayee, she held a meeting with all opposition leaders. It is at this tea party that she met Sonia Gandhi, the then president of the AICC and pledged allegiance to the Congress in the elections that would ensue following her breakup with the BJP. While the withdrawal of support of 18 AIADMK MPs seemed to be a clear death blow, the BJP managed to find a few last-minute ally, before the trust vote, in the DMK. But the Tamil Manila Congress’ refusal to offer support cost the BJP power by just one vote (270-269). 

However, Jayalalithaa’s break-up with the BJP did not bring the Congress back to power in the 1999 general elections. The crushing defeat that Pakistan faced in the Kargil in the months before the election created a sense of patriotism that worked in the BJP’s favour. The DMK-BJP alliance won 26 seats in the 1999 general elections in Tamil Nadu which witnessed the VCK making its debut.  The BJP won a total of 182 seats in the Lok Sabha and formed government with help of its allies and allowed Vajpayee to complete his first full term as PM. 

1999 parliament election results

DMK won: 12(23.13%)

AIADMK won: 10(25.68%)

BJP won: 04(7.14%)

MDMK won: 04(5.95%)

PMK won: 05(8.21%)

INC won: 02(11.10%)

MGR ADMK: 01( 1.46%)

CPM: 01(2.35%)

Total seats: 39

Seats won / Vote share