[Letter to C Rajagopalachari]

Summary

This personal letter, dated August 23, 1964, is written from Toronto by the unidentified sender “Anandchand” to C. Rajagopalachari (“Rajaji”), founder-leader of the Swatantra Party. Against the backdrop of Jawaharlal Nehru’s death, food-grain shortages, rioting, and the succession of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the writer argues that the Swatantra Party must stop relying on criticism of the Congress and develop a positive political strategy. The letter acknowledges the party’s early promise and nearly nine million votes in the last general election, but describes declining public enthusiasm, disunity among state units, the departure of experienced leaders, and an insufficient mass base.

The writer’s proposed remedies are primarily organisational. The party should hold internal elections, revise its constitution, reduce excessive centralisation, curb interference by the central office, strengthen state-level organisation, establish a functioning Delhi presence, and coordinate fundraising. The letter also warns that reliance on industrialists, wealthy candidates, or money raised from prospective candidates is damaging the party’s claim to represent ordinary people. It closes with an urgent appeal to Rajagopalachari to act quickly: without internal reform and renewed engagement with the public, the Swatantra Party may lose its political influence.

Key points

• The letter situates Swatantra Party reform within the political uncertainty following Nehru’s death and Shastri’s accession.
• It says the party’s initial electoral promise has been weakened by disunity, leadership departures, and poor public engagement.
• The writer calls for party elections, wider enrolment of workers, and a more adaptable party constitution.
• Centralisation and interference by the party centre are presented as causes of factionalism and distrust among state units.
• The party’s Bombay-based central office is described as too distant from Parliament and national political activity.
• The letter argues that inadequate and poorly coordinated finances are encouraging dependence on wealthy candidates and industrialists.
• The writer urges Swatantra to put political realities before idealism while retaining its commitment to “Farm, Family and Freedom.”