దేవెగౌడ [1996-97]: (Deve Gowda [1996-97])

Highlights of Indian Prime Ministers

Deve Gowda [1996-97]

• 2nd Prime Minister from South India (Karnataka State).
• 2nd person to become Prime Minister without being a member of either house of Parliament.
• Chief Minister → Prime Minister (5th person).
• Led the United Front government formed with 13 parties.
• Held power in the central government through the 3rd coalition.
• Government was run with the support of Congress.
• 2nd Prime Minister to lose power due to losing a vote of confidence.
• 2nd person to become Prime Minister as a member of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).

I. K. Gujral [1997-98]

• Led the United Front government after the fall of the Deve Gowda government.
• 3rd person to become Prime Minister as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
• Central Minister → Prime Minister (7th person).
• Shaped a new form of Indian foreign policy known as the "Gujral Doctrine."
• Resigned from his position after Congress withdrew its support.

Dr. Manmohan Singh [2004 - Present]

• 4th person to become Prime Minister as a member of the Rajya Sabha. (Elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam).
• Only Prime Minister after Nehru to serve a full term and be re-elected consecutively for a second term.
• Led the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) coalition with 17 parties for the first term, and the UPA coalition with 13 parties for the second term.
• Central Minister → Prime Minister (8th person).
• As Finance Minister in P.V. Narasimha Rao's government, he initiated the first economic reforms. As Prime Minister, he introduced the 2nd set of economic reforms.
• '15-Point Program' for the welfare of minorities.
• Faced a vote of confidence twice in the same term.