[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

This is a one-page typed letter from Girish Munshi, writing on Swatantra Party (Maharashtra) letterhead from the Sassoon Building in Bombay, to Minoo Masani on 6 March 1975. Munshi tells Masani that his thesis at the Swatantra Party’s National Convention — that Jayaprakash Narayan would emerge as the spearhead of a “National Alternative” to the Congress — has been vindicated by JP’s public trajectory.

The letter then turns to tactics. Munshi refers to L. K. Advani’s speech at Delhi, reported in the previous day’s newspapers, which called for the National Alternative to be institutionalised, and notes Masani’s own objection that Piloo Mody’s suggested manner of doing so is wrong. Munshi reports that he has advised a Mr. Sundaram, in the present context, to contact Advani after consulting the Swatantra Legislators in Tamil Nadu. He argues that Swatantra should seize the opening for a dialogue with the Jana Sangh now that JP has publicly blessed the Jana Sangh in his Janasangh meeting speech at Delhi, and asks Masani for his reactions.

Key points

• Correspondence from Girish Munshi (Swatantra Party, Maharashtra) to Minoo Masani, dated 6 March 1975, on Swatantra Party letterhead at 143 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay.
• Confirms that Masani’s National Convention thesis about JP has been borne out: JP has emerged as the spearhead of the ‘National Alternative’.
• References L. K. Advani’s Delhi speech, reported the previous day, calling for the National Alternative to be institutionalised.
• Records Masani’s disagreement with Piloo Mody’s proposed manner of institutionalising the Alternative.
• Munshi has advised Mr. Sundaram to approach Advani after consulting Swatantra Legislators in Tamil Nadu.
• Argues that Swatantra should seize the opportunity to open a dialogue with the Jana Sangh, citing JP’s public blessing of the Jana Sangh at the Janasangh meeting in Delhi.
• Solicits Masani’s reactions on the proposed line of approach.