RESOLUTION ON THE FORMATION OF THE NEW PARTY

Summary

This two-page resolution records the B.L.D. National Executive’s concerns about Jayaprakash Narayan’s proposal to form a new political party. While welcoming the appeal and supporting an expedited merger, it argues that the four prospective constituent parties should first dissolve themselves and join the new organisation. The resolution notes that Congress (O) and the Socialist parties had not decided, while the Jan Sangh’s position remained vague and non-final; if any party stayed out, the purpose of creating the new party would be undermined.

The resolution calls for prior agreement among the parties’ senior leaders on the new party’s name, policy, constitution, and composition. It criticises the decision to leave these questions to a large Bombay gathering of 200 people and urges Jayaprakash Narayan to appoint an organising committee in Delhi before the conference. It also reiterates that the new party should be clearly distinct from the ruling party, rural-oriented, and based on Gandhian ideology, while stating that the draft policy remained unacceptable to the B.L.D. and required further consideration.

Key points

• The B.L.D. National Executive welcomes Jayaprakash Narayan’s appeal to form a new party but objects to the proposed procedure.
• The resolution argues that the four parties should dissolve themselves before joining the new organisation.
• It warns that the project would lose its purpose if even one party remained outside.
• It calls for advance agreement on the new party’s name, policy, constitution, and composition.
• It criticises the plan to place unresolved organisational questions before a large Bombay gathering of 200 people.
• It urges the appointment of an organising committee in Delhi before the Bombay Conference.
• It insists that the new party be distinct from the ruling party, rural-oriented, and based on Gandhian ideology.
• It rejects the existing draft policy statement as unacceptable and requiring further consideration.