Was Indira Gandhi a great spirit moved by the needs of her people ?
In 1971 Gandhi went into a national election on a slogan of “eradicate poverty”. Her appeal projected her as a national leader and undermined organizational opposition to her within the party. The successful execution of the Indo-Pak War (1971) under Gandhi’s guidance led to the creation of Bangladesh. Her popularity was at an alltime high and was followed by Congress victories in the states. The 1977 elections led to a crushing defeat for the Congress, which won only 154 seats, and the election of a Janata government. Gandhi was tried for the excesses of the Emergency but prosecution backfired on the Janata government as it became riven with factional conflict. In 1980 when a national election was called, Gandhi campaigned on a platform of a government that works. She made a successful comeback, winning 351 seats. Gandhi’s final term as Prime Minister was marked by the centralization and personalization of power. Dissent within Congress was not tolerated. Opposition state governments
