Witness History
Witness History
India's onion election
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August 26, 2022
10 minutes
Available for over a year
In January 1980, Indira Gandhi's Congress (I) party was voted into power in India.
Before the election, inflation meant that onions were unaffordable for many Indians and became a big election issue.
Indira Gandhi used the issue to appeal to voters during her campaign which would help to secure her victory that year.
Reena Stanton-Sharma speaks to Suda Pai, a former professor of political science at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Image: Vendor Pushing Cart With Onions On Road. Credit: Venkataramana Allam / EyeEm