[Letter to Kripalani]

Summary

A two-page typewritten letter from Minoo Masani to Acharya J. B. Kripalani, MP, dated 8th June 1963, responding to Kripalani’s initiative for inter-Opposition unity built around a six-point minimum programme. Masani reports that he has already summarised his reactions to the Bombay press in Ahmedabad the previous day and encloses the resulting clippings. He tells Kripalani, in numbered points, that he appreciates the effort, personally finds little to object to in the six points, but cannot commit the Swatantra Party without a properly convened meeting of its Central Organising Committee and Parliamentary Board, and that he foresees serious difficulty in the way of a formal Bloc or Front tied to a minimum programme.

Instead, Masani argues for a continuation of the informal path already trodden by the Swatantra Party, the PSP, the Jan Sangh and the Socialist Party inside and outside Parliament — spontaneous cooperation on agreed issues, of which he cites the Amroha and Rajkot by-elections as illustrations. He welcomes a parallel suggestion by Madhu Limaye, Secretary of the Socialist Party, reported in that morning’s Times of India. Sharing his long-term view, Masani urges each Opposition party to build its own organisational strength while bilateral discussions begin on an electoral understanding for 1967; he had been in the middle of such discussions with Dr. Raghuvira when Raghuvira died, and proposes to resume them with the parties concerned. He is doubtful, however, that any attempt at ideological agreement is worth making at this time, and gently tells Kripalani that if Kripalani still sees hope he is welcome to persist, having already done his part. He closes by placing himself entirely at Kripalani’s disposal for a meeting with Rajaji and J.P. at any place in India, and sends warm regards from Shakuntala and himself.

Key points

• Masani replies to Kripalani’s 6-point minimum programme for inter-Opposition unity, dated 8 June 1963.
• He has already given his reactions to the Bombay press in Ahmedabad and encloses clippings he judges ‘broadly not inaccurate’.
• He appreciates the effort and personally sees little to object to in the six points, but cannot bind Swatantra without a formal decision of its Central Organising Committee and Parliamentary Board.
• He rejects a formal Bloc or Front bound to a minimum programme, preferring the informal joint-action path already used by Swatantra, the PSP, the Jan Sangh and the Socialist Party.
• He cites the Amroha and Rajkot by-elections as examples of spontaneous cooperation without ideological preconditions and welcomes Madhu Limaye’s parallel suggestion in the Times of India.
• For the long term he wants each Opposition party to build its own organisation while bilateral discussions on an electoral understanding for 1967 commence — talks he had begun with Dr. Raghuvira before Raghuvira’s death.
• He doubts that an ideological agreement is worth attempting at this stage and tells Kripalani he has done his part; others can now show their enthusiasm for unity.
• He offers himself for a meeting with Rajaji, J.P. and Kripalani at any place in India.