Brute power can never be a substitute for people power, which Indira Gandhi continued to lose through the period. She continued to rule, but India was clearly out of her governance.

And, realizing this perhaps, as suddenly as she imposed Emergency she withdrew the measure in January 1977 and ordered fresh elections.

The Opposition leaders who were persecuted by her banded together under the Janata Party, and the electorate dealt the Congress party a sound defeat, its first ever at the federal level.