Electoral history of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

New Delhi, Aug 16: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a member of the Indian Parliament for over four decades, being elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house, ten times, and twice to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house.

Vajpayeeji entered Lok Sabha for the first time in 1957 from Balrampur constituency as Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) candidate. Vajpayee lost the election when he contested again in 1962. He contested from the same constituency in 1967.

In the general election held for 5th Lok Sabha Vajpayeeji moved to Gwalior constituency.

He was elected as Janata Party candidate and BJP in 6th and 7th Lok Sabha respectively. Janata Party was formed by political parties opposed to the Emergency that was imposed between 1975 and 1977 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Indian National Congress. When the Janata government collapsed, Vajpayee restructured the Jana Sangh into the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980.

He moved to Lucknow constituency in 1991 and contested from the same constituency till his last term. In December 2005, he announced his retirement from active politics, declaring that he would not contest in the next general election.

Balrampur (Lok Sabha constituency)

• 2nd Lok Sabha 1957-62: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Jana Sangh
• 4th Lok Sabha 1967-71: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Gwalior (Lok Sabha constituency)

• 5th Lok Sabha 1971-77: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Jan Sangh, New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)
• 6th Lok Sabha 1977-80 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Janata Party
• 7th Lok Sabha 1980-84 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party

Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency)

• 10th Lok Sabha 1991-96 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party
• 11th Lok Sabha 1996-98 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party
• 12th Lok Sabha 1998-99 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party
• 13th Lok Sabha 1999-2004 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party
• 14th Lok Sabha 2004-09 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party

With Gopinath Munde

A file photo of late Union minister Gopinath Munde with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a public rally in Beed, Maharashtra in March 2004.

With IK Gujral

Former Prime Minister IK Gujral with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a book release function in New Delhi in September 2004.

With Pandit Ravi Shankar

File photo of sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar with the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the release of music album 'Samvedna' in New Delhi on Feb 10, 2002.

Being conferred with Bharat Ratna

Then President Pranab Mukherjee conferring the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence in New Delhi. PTI Photo