Pragati Legislature Party
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Indian English Template:Infobox Indian political party The Pragati Legislature Party(Also called Pragati Dal) was a political grouping in the Legislative Assembly of the Indian state Orissa. PLP was formed in 1973 by the Utkal Congress, Swatantra Party and others. The PLP leader Biju Patnaik, was elected as the Leader of the Opposition of the Assembly on 9 February 1973. His tenure as Leader of Opposition lasted until 3 March the same year. On that date President's Rule was introduced in the state.<ref name="Sethy 2003 p. 214">Template:Cite book</ref>
PLP and its member organizations later merged into Bharatiya Lok Dal in the end of 1974.<ref name="Patnaik 1985 p.183 ">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Asthana 1988 p.154 ">Template:Cite book</ref>
Background
Politics in early 70's Orissa was very fluid. The election of 1971 threw a hung assembly. A coalition government was formed by Utkala Congress, Swatantra Party, Jharkhand Party and others. This government under leadership of Bishwanath Das lasted about a year. There were defections and it lost majority. A Congress government headed by Nandini Satpathy came into power by inducting the defectors from Utkal Congress. However the Satpathy government lost majority in six months when the ex-Utkal Congress Members decided to revive Utkal Congress. Satpathy Decided to call an election. On the eve of election Swatantra Party, Utkal Congress and Swadhin Congress decided to form Pragati Legislature Party. PLP staked claim to form government, but the Governor B.D Jatti dissolved the assembly and called for election.<ref name="Mahesh 2005 p. 519">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Patnaik 1985 p. ">Template:Cite book</ref>
Organisation
PLP was not a political party in a conventional sense. Its different constituents fought elections under different symbols and campaigned under different flags. It was led by 3 stalwarts of Orissa politics, Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo, Biju Patnaik, and Harekrushna Mahatab.<ref name="Grover 1997 p. 606">Template:Cite book</ref>
Electoral performance
PLP won 56 seats in the 1974 mid-term elections. Biju Patnaik was elected as leader of opposition.<ref name="Padhi 1985 p.47 ">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Orissa (India). Public Relations Dept Orissa (India). Home Dept 1987 p. 33">Template:Cite book</ref>