MANDATE: WILL OF THE PEOPLE

This is the first easy-to-read book about recent Indian
political history. Pegged on the general elections that
shaped today’s India, Mandate: Will of the People
tells the story of Indian politics in a gripping, pageturning
style.
Vir Sanghvi, the well-known journalist and TV
anchor, draws on his personal experiences and
memories as well as scores of interviews to piece
together an incisive and candid account of what went
on behind the scenes. Peppered with little-known
details and insider information, this book tells the
stories behind the story and brings alive the men and
women behind the headlines.
Mandate: Will of the People contains the real story
of the declaration of the Emergency, the rise and
fall of Sanjay Gandhi, the Punjab insurgencies, the
assassination of Indira Gandhi and the bloody riots
that followed her death. It tracks the emergence of
Rajiv Gandhi, and explains the Bofors scandal that
contributed to his defeat.
Many of the questions that linger over Indian politics
are answered here: how did Narasimha Rao become
Prime Minister? Why did he liberalise the economy?
What was the Ram Mandir agitation really about?
Why didn’t Sonia Gandhi agree to be PM? And how
did Manmohan Singh’s weakness clear the way for
Narendra Modi.
If you have to read one book about Indian politics –
then this is it.