What is a dominant party system?

By dominant party system is meant a party system where more than one party exists and freely competes but one party gets much higher support than any other party. The opposition parties are weak and divided. For example in India the Congress party enjoyed unbroken spell of power forabout 30 years i.e. from 1947 to 1977. After remaining in opposition forless than three years it again emerged as the dominant party in 1980. It lost its power again in 1989. Hence, we can say that dominant party system may not be a continuous or permanent one.