Summary
In this letter dated March 26, 1962, C. Rajagopalachari responds to Dr. M. S. Aney’s hesitation about joining the Swatantra Party. Rajagopalachari acknowledges that the party’s response to Aney’s concerns was unclear, but argues that the Swatantra Party had not committed itself to supporting the Andhra demand for the formation of a separate Andhra state, nor had it identified itself with that claim. He also says the party tried, unsuccessfully, to arrange electoral contests in Madras so that triangular contests would not disadvantage Congress candidates.
Key points
- Rajagopalachari regrets that the Swatantra Party acted on Aney’s letter without adequately addressing his hesitation.
- He states that the Swatantra Party has not committed itself to the Andhra demand for a separate state.
- He rejects the idea that the party endorsed the claim for a separate Andhra state.
- He describes unsuccessful efforts to avoid triangular electoral contests that might disadvantage Congress candidates.
- On the Nag-Vidarbha question, he says the party has taken no position and permits individual members to advocate either side.
- He advises Aney not to withdraw because publicity has already been given to his proposed association with the party.
- He proposes that Aney join the Parliamentary Swatantra Party as an associate member rather than a full member.
Metadata and summary are AI-extracted from the source PDF and reviewed for editorial accuracy. The original work is available via the Read PDF tab above (where present); paragraph-level citation inside the PDF is deferred to a future engagement.
