[Letter to K V K Sundaram]

Summary

In this letter dated December 28, 1965, M. R. Masani writes to K. V. K. Sundaram, Chief Election Commissioner of India, to defend the continued recognition of the Swatantra Party in Bihar. He argues that the Bihar unit remained an active and reorganised branch of the Swatantra Party, while the earlier Bihar Janta Party had merged into it in 1959. The letter reconstructs the dispute over the bicycle election symbol, contending that its use in the 1962 Bihar elections was a special transitional arrangement and did not imply that the Janta Party continued to exist as a recognised party.

Masani also presents the later Bihar conflict as a problem of party discipline and organisational authority. He recounts the dissolution of the Bihar state apparatus in 1964 after K. M. Munshi’s report found that it was inactive, undemocratic, and obstructive to membership enrolment, followed by the expulsion of Kamakhya Narain Singh and Shyam Sunder Prasad. The letter rejects the newly formed Janta Party associated with Singh as a successor to either the earlier Janta Party or the Bihar Swatantra organisation, and asks the Election Commission not to disturb the Swatantra Party’s recognition. The rendered pages include the main letter and several annexures; the final two PDF pages, including the continuation of Annexure F, were not seen.

Key points

• Masani states that the Swatantra Party continued to function in Bihar through a central office, an advisory committee, and elected representatives.
• The Bihar Janta Party is described as having merged into the Swatantra Party on September 20, 1959, while retaining its bicycle symbol temporarily.
• The Election Commission’s allocation of the bicycle symbol for the 1962 Bihar elections is presented as a transitional concession rather than recognition of a continuing Janta Party.
• The Bihar Swatantra organisation was dissolved in 1964 after complaints about inactivity, restricted enrolment, internal disorder, and failures of party discipline.
• K. N. Singh and Shyam Sunder Prasad were expelled after allegedly refusing to hand over the dissolved unit’s papers, funds, and assets.
• Masani argues that Singh’s newly formed Janta Party was distinct from both the former Janta Party and the Swatantra branch that contested the 1962 elections.
• The letter claims that party strength should be judged by votes and the party manifesto, not simply by the number of legislators who defect.
• Masani asks the Election Commission to maintain Swatantra’s recognition in Bihar and not reward what he characterises as disruptive defections.