However, the state of emergency had proven widely unpopular and upon calling elections in 1977, it became apparent that Indira's Indian National Congress could suffer defeat.
Consequently, Ram and his supporters resigned from the government and the Indian National Congress in January 1977, denouncing Indira Gandhi and her Emergency rule.
[1] While the Congress for Democracy agreed to jointly campaign and contest the election with the Janata party, it stated that it would maintain a separate organisation and identity.
[1] Along with Morarji Desai and Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram was a leading candidate to become the new Prime Minister of India as head of the Janata-CFD coalition.
With the fall of the Janata government in 1979-80, Ram and his supporters formed the Congress (J) - "J" standing for "Jagjivan", which maintained a small presence in the Indian Parliament.