[Letter to VS Srikumar]

Summary

Dated 14 January 1975 and addressed to V. S. Srikumar, Joint Secretary of the Swatantra Party’s National Headquarters in Madras, this short typed letter is Minoo Masani’s reply to Srikumar’s letter of 9 January. Masani reports that during a recent visit to Benaras he had already briefed Jayaprakash Narayan about the reformist step taken by the Madras wing of the Party and the resolutions it had passed; he adds that he had suggested to Jayaprakash that, when a formal approach came from the Party’s President, Sundaram should be nominated to the Co-ordination Committee on which other party leaders serve, and that Jayaprakash had indicated he would do so.

In the second half of the letter Masani offers logistical help — he is willing to try and arrange a meeting with Jayaprakash when he next comes to Bombay, and even to accompany a delegation and introduce them personally if time permits. He then firmly declines the invitation to attend the meeting of the National Executive Committee, noting that since his retirement from the Presidentship of the Party in 1971 he has consistently refused such invitations from H. M. Patel and Piloo Mody, and that his reasons for staying away remain unchanged. A carbon copy is directed to Girish Munshi, General Secretary of the Swatantra Party at Bombay.

Key points

• Masani is replying to a letter of 9 January 1975 from V. S. Srikumar, Joint Secretary of the Swatantra Party at its Madras headquarters.
• He confirms he has already briefed Jayaprakash Narayan, during a recent visit to Benaras, about the Madras group’s steps to reform the Party and the resolutions it has passed.
• He proposes that Sundaram be nominated to the Co-ordination Committee, on which other party leaders serve, once the Party President formally approaches Jayaprakash — and reports Jayaprakash was receptive.
• He volunteers to help arrange a meeting with Jayaprakash when the latter next visits Bombay, and offers to accompany and introduce a Swatantra delegation to him.
• He declines to attend the National Executive Committee meeting, citing the same consistent stance he has held since retiring from the Party Presidentship in 1971.
• He notes that H. M. Patel and Piloo Mody have repeatedly invited him to such meetings, and that his reasons for staying away remain unchanged.
• The letter is copied to Girish Munshi, General Secretary of the Swatantra Party at 143 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay.