BJP's rise: From just 2 seats in 1980 to 282 in 2014

New Delhi, Feb 4: The BJP stormed to power in 2014 Lok Sabha elections by winning 282 seats and became the first party in the last three decades to form the government with absolute majority. The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rise over the past 38 years has been stellar. The BJP, which is currently the largest party in terms of representation in the Lok Sabha, was founded in 1980.

The BJP's origin lies in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, formed in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mukherjee. In 1977, the Jana Sangh merged with several other parties to form the Janata Party. After three years in power, the Janata party dissolved in 1980 with the members of the erstwhile Jana Sangh reconvening to form the BJP.

Let's have a look at the BJP's Lok Sabha performance since formation in 1980: