[Letter to SV Raju]

Summary

In this handwritten letter dated 5 September 1974, Minoo Masani congratulates S. V. Raju on Raju’s article “National Alternative,” published in Freedom First. Masani then turns to the recent handling of the Swatantra Party, arguing that making Piloo Mody president was a serious mistake and questioning whether the party’s national convention could validly approve dissolution or merger when the party constitution contained no provision for either.

Key points

• Masani congratulates S. V. Raju on the article “National Alternative” in Freedom First.
• He describes the appointment of Piloo Mody as president as a major blunder.
• He questions the constitutional validity of dissolving or merging the party without an enabling provision in its constitution.
• He alleges that the national convention included a majority of “bogus delegates.”
• He raises a possible legal challenge concerning the ownership of Swatantra Party assets.
• A postscript asks whether the Central Party still has a general secretary.