Big picture
After Jawaharlal Nehru's death in 1964, Indian democracy faced its first real test: who would lead, and would the Congress's dominance survive? The 1960s brought economic crisis, wars, food shortages and political upheaval. In 1967, the Congress lost power in many states, and in 1969 the party itself split.
Yet by 1971, Indira Gandhi had restored Congress dominance, though in a very different form. This chapter explains how and why.
Learning goals
Explain the challenge of political succession after Nehru.
Explain the leadership of Lal Bahadur Shastri and the rise of Indira Gandhi.
Explain the 1967 elections and why they were called a "political earthquake".
Explain coalitions and defections after 1967.
Explain the Syndicate and the split in the Congress in 1969.
Explain the 1971 elections, "Garibi Hatao" and the restoration of the Congress system.
Core ideas
1. The challenge of succession
Many observers feared that India's democracy might not survive after Nehru, as had happened in other newly independent countries where leaders' deaths led to instability.
Lal Bahadur Shastri was chosen as Prime Minister in 1964 smoothly, by the Congress Parliamentary Party, under the guidance of Congress president K. Kamraj. This proved that democratic succession was possible.
2. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964–66)
Shastri faced serious challenges: food shortages after failed monsoons, the effects of the 1962 war with China, and the 1965 war with Pakistan.
He gave the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" (hail the soldier, hail the farmer), highlighting the two challenges of defence and food production.
He signed the Tashkent Agreement with Pakistan and died suddenly in Tashkent in January 1966.
3. Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister
After Shastri's death, there was an intense contest between Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi, Nehru's daughter. Indira Gandhi was chosen by a vote of Congress MPs in 1966, supported by senior leaders who expected her to depend on them.
She faced a difficult situation: drought, food shortages, rising prices, a devaluation of the rupee (1966) under US pressure, and industrial slowdown, which led to protests and strikes.
4. The fourth general elections (1967): a "political earthquake"
In the 1967 elections, the Congress lost its majority in many states and won only a slim majority in the Lok Sabha (about 284 seats).
Many senior Congress leaders and ministers lost their seats.
The results were called a "political earthquake" because the Congress's dominance appeared to be broken.
Reasons: economic crisis (food shortage, unemployment, inflation), the death of leaders like Nehru and Shastri, and the non-Congressism strategy: Socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia argued that opposition parties should come together to defeat the Congress, which they saw as undemocratic and against the poor.
5. Coalitions and defections
After 1967, coalition governments were formed in several states by non-Congress parties, called Samyukt Vidhayak Dal (SVD) governments. They often included parties with very different ideologies, from the left to the right, united only by opposition to the Congress.
Defections (legislators switching parties for gain) became common. In 1967, Gaya Lal, an MLA in Haryana, changed parties three times in a fortnight, giving rise to the phrase "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram" for political turncoats.
Coalitions were often unstable and collapsed quickly.
6. The Syndicate and the split in the Congress (1969)
The Syndicate was an informal group of senior Congress leaders who controlled the party organisation, including K. Kamraj (Tamil Nadu), S.K. Patil (Bombay), Atulya Ghosh (West Bengal), S. Nijalingappa (Mysore) and N. Sanjeeva Reddy (Andhra Pradesh). They had helped Indira Gandhi become Prime Minister, expecting her to follow their advice.
Indira Gandhi sought to assert her independence and adopted a left-leaning agenda, including a Ten-Point Programme (social control of banks, nationalisation of general insurance, ceilings on urban property, public distribution of food grains, land reforms).
The 1969 presidential election became a contest between the two camps. The Syndicate nominated N. Sanjeeva Reddy as the official Congress candidate. Indira Gandhi encouraged the Vice-President, V.V. Giri, to file nomination as an independent, and called for a "conscience vote", allowing Congress legislators to vote as they wished. V.V. Giri won.
The Syndicate expelled Indira Gandhi from the party. The Congress split into the Congress (O) (Organisation), led by the Syndicate, and the Congress (R) (Requisitionists), led by Indira Gandhi, which most MPs joined.
Indira Gandhi's government nationalised fourteen major banks (1969) and moved to abolish the privy purses (allowances guaranteed to former princes). An ordinance on privy purses (1970) was struck down by the Supreme Court; they were finally abolished by the 26th Constitutional Amendment (1971).
7. The 1971 elections and restoration
Indira Gandhi called early elections in 1971. The opposition, including the Congress (O), the Jana Sangh, the Swatantra Party and the Samyukta Socialist Party, formed a Grand Alliance with the slogan "Indira Hatao" (remove Indira).
Indira Gandhi responded with the slogan "Garibi Hatao" (remove poverty), presenting a positive programme for the poor, landless labourers, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, women and the unemployed.
The Congress (R) won 352 seats, restoring its dominance. The victory was reinforced by India's success in the 1971 war that created Bangladesh.
8. A different Congress system
The restored Congress was different from the old one:
It depended heavily on the popularity of one leader, Indira Gandhi, rather than a broad organisation and many leaders.
It had a weaker internal organisation, with fewer factions and less internal democracy.
Its support came from the poor, minorities and women, a new social coalition, through populist policies.
Power was centralised, and the party became more dependent on the leader.
This change set the stage for the crisis of democratic order in the 1970s.
A reliable approach to questions
For succession, explain how Shastri and Indira Gandhi were chosen, showing democratic transitions.
For 1967, explain the results, why it was an "earthquake", and non-Congressism.
For coalitions, explain SVD governments and defections ("Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram").
For the split, explain the Syndicate, the 1969 presidential election and the outcome.
For 1971, contrast "Indira Hatao" and "Garibi Hatao", and explain how the restored Congress was different.
Connections that matter
Era of one-party dominance describes the earlier Congress system.
The crisis of democratic order follows the events of the 1970s, including the Emergency.
India's external relations covers the 1965 and 1971 wars.
Common mistakes
Saying the Congress lost power at the centre in 1967. It kept a slim Lok Sabha majority but lost many states.
Saying N. Sanjeeva Reddy won the 1969 presidential election. V.V. Giri won.
Mixing up Congress (O) (the Syndicate's party) and Congress (R) (Indira Gandhi's party).
Saying "Garibi Hatao" was the opposition's slogan. It was Indira Gandhi's; the opposition said "Indira Hatao".
Revision checklist
I can explain succession after Nehru and Shastri.
I can explain the 1967 elections and non-Congressism.
I can explain coalitions and defections.
I can explain the Syndicate and the 1969 split.
I can explain the 1971 elections and the changed nature of the Congress.