Scott Reynolds ndia, the world's largest democracy, held its eighth national election in the first week of January. It was an election surrounded by extraordinary excitement: the failure of two governments to secure the confidence of the Lok Sabha, the House of Representatives; disputed constitutional decisions by India's head of state, President Sanjiva Reddy; a midterm dissolution of Parliament; an unusually long period of caretaker government between last August's dissolution and the January polls. The results were equally exciting: an overwhelming victory for Indira Gandhi—and, not incidentally, a complementary victory for Sanjay Gandhi.

As the election date drew near, Sanjay Gandhi had become the most controversial public personality for one-sixth of the world's population, the 650 million people of India. In the labyrinthine world of Indian politics, where images are often etched in the muted tones of consensus appeal, Sanjay stands in bold relief; neutrality is an emotion he rarely evokes.