Swatantra Party Accepts Cong. (O) Programme

Summary

This one-page English newspaper clipping, datelined Madras, January 9, reports that the Swatantra Party’s National Executive accepted the manifesto resolution adopted by the Congress (O) on June 28, 1970. The resolution called for consolidation among nationalist democratic forces to resist communist subversion and communalism. Its four-point programme emphasized national democratic and socialist forces, national unity and security, constitutional liberty, democratic institutions, law and order, a secular society, and social and economic justice.

M. R. Masani said the Swatantra Party would contest the forthcoming elections on the basis of the agreed programme rather than issue a separate manifesto. The report says the party had initially hoped to offer a democratic alternative to the present government, but adopted the Congress (O) programme after efforts to produce an agreed opposition programme were abandoned. Congress (O) leader K. Kamaraj welcomed the decision, while Masani stressed that accepting the programme did not imply party merger.

Key points

• The Swatantra Party accepted the Congress (O) manifesto resolution of June 28, 1970.
• The stated objective was consolidation among nationalist democratic forces against communist subversion and communalism.
• The programme emphasized constitutional liberty, democratic institutions, law and order, secularism, and social and economic justice.
• The party decided to contest the coming elections on the agreed programme rather than publish a separate manifesto.
• M. R. Masani said the decision did not amount to a merger with Congress (O).
• K. Kamaraj welcomed the Swatantra Party’s adoption of the programme as its election manifesto.