DRAFT minutes of the State Council Meeting of the Swatantra Party, Maharashtra held at Bombay on Saturday, the 6th July 1974.

Summary

These draft minutes record a meeting of the Maharashtra State Council of the Swatantra Party, held in Bombay on 6 July 1974. They list the members and invitees present, note that heavy rains disrupted train services, and confirm the minutes of the previous meeting. The principal item of business is the forthcoming National Convention in Delhi on 4–5 August 1974 and a proposal to dissolve the Swatantra Party in order to create a new party as a national alternative to the ruling Congress.

Piloo Mody explains efforts authorised by the National Executive to bring several parties together, while M. R. Masani opposes dissolution and argues that it would not produce an effective national alternative. Despite Madhu Mehta’s appeal not to proceed, the resolution is put to a vote and passes by an overwhelming majority, with N. K. Jagtap as the sole dissenting voter; Mody and Mehta leave before the vote. The council then elects Maharashtra delegates to the National Convention and appoints a sub-committee to finalise the delegation before the meeting ends at 7:00 p.m.

Key points

• The Maharashtra State Council met at the Swatantra Party office in Bombay on 6 July 1974.
• The minutes record attendance, invitees, a special invitation to Piloo Mody, and absences caused by heavy rains and disrupted trains.
• The council discussed dissolving the Swatantra Party to help form a new national political alternative to the ruling Congress.
• M. R. Masani opposed dissolution, while most listed members supported putting the proposal to a vote.
• The resolution passed by an overwhelming majority, with N. K. Jagtap recorded as the only dissenting voter.
• Piloo Mody and Madhu Mehta left the meeting before the resolution was put to the vote.
• The meeting elected delegates from Maharashtra to attend the National Convention in Delhi and assigned a sub-committee to finalise the list.