What was the key advantage that the new Congress faction had over its opponents in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971?

Well-defined issue, agenda, and positive slogan

The electoral landscape seemed unfavorable for the Congress (R) faction. This faction was an offshoot of an already feeble party, and the true organizational power was perceived to be vested in Congress (O). Adding to Indira Gandhi's challenges, a formidable coalition of major non-communist and non-Congress opposition parties formed the Grand Alliance. This alliance united parties like SSP, PSP, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party, and Bharatiya Kranti Dal. The ruling party, meanwhile, had established an alliance with the CPI.

However, the new Congress faction possessed a significant advantage— a well-defined issue, an agenda, and a positive slogan. This stood in contrast to its formidable adversaries who lacked a coherent political program. The Grand Alliance, Indira Gandhi asserted, had just one unified agenda: "Indira Hatao" (Remove Indira). In stark contrast, she presented a constructive program encapsulated in the iconic slogan "Garibi Hatao" (Remove Poverty). Her focus encompassed augmenting the public sector, implementing land and property ownership limits, addressing income and opportunity disparities, and eradicating princely privileges.

The "Garibi Hatao" slogan was a deliberate attempt by Indira Gandhi to forge a base of support among the underprivileged, particularly landless laborers, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, women, and unemployed youth. This slogan, along with the subsequent programs, constituted a pivotal component of her political strategy—creating an autonomous nationwide foundation of political backing.