Indira Gandhi condemned of Congress' downfall

New Delhi, May 30: The fifth volume of the book "Centenary History of the Indian National Congress" highlights the decline of the Congress in the Hindi heartland to certain political measures taken by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, including the “excesses during the Emergency".

A historian Sudha Pai, in this volume writes,"She attempted to reach down to the bottom level and restructure the party from the top into an oligarchy controlled with the help of her close aides. This led to the breakdown of the machine character of congress, which had been the strength of the party in some states." It goes on adding, "By the mid-1980s, considerable damage had occurred to the organisation and electoral base of the party from which it has not yet fully recovered."

This volume is headed by senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee.

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