[Letter to S V Raju]

Summary

In this letter dated 30 April 1971, M. R. Masani writes to S. V. Raju after resigning the presidency of the Swatantra Party. Masani says the resignation will deprive him of the pleasure of working closely with Raju, whose performance as General Secretary and later as a senior party official he praises. He recalls observing Raju’s work between 1967 and 1969 and during the final year and quarter of Masani’s presidency.

Key points

• Masani writes to Raju following his resignation from the presidency of the Swatantra Party.
• He praises Raju’s ability to meet the demands of his party responsibilities.
• Masani contrasts the Swatantra Party’s limited organisation and resources with those of small liberal parties in Israel, England, and Germany.
• He credits Raju with extending the National Headquarters’ staff capacity and generating a broad response across state and district levels.
• Masani values Raju’s understanding of Indian political life as a source of advice and a check on his own thinking.
• He also praises Raju’s organisational, managerial, and executive competence.
• Masani suggests that Raju’s skills could be valuable in industry or business.