[General Secretarys letter no-281]

Summary

Dated May 26, 1972, General Secretary Madhu Mehta’s letter asks Swatantra Party state and regional units to prepare suggestions for the General Council meeting scheduled in Madras on June 24–25. It refers to discussions held in Bombay on the Party’s policies, programmes, organisation, and poor performance in the recent Assembly elections, and urges units to send their views by June 15 and ensure maximum attendance at the forthcoming meeting.

The attached draft minutes record the Third Meeting of the Swatantra Party General Council, held in Bombay on April 8–9, 1972. The Council discussed whether the Party should continue unchanged, merge with other parties, or disband; it ultimately agreed that its principles and programmes remained sound, that no like-minded party existed with which to merge, and that it should continue independently while presenting its policies in a form more accessible to the masses. The minutes note that final decisions were deferred to the June meeting in Madras, where the Council hoped to benefit from Rajaji’s guidance.

Key points

• Madhu Mehta’s May 26, 1972 letter requests policy and organisational suggestions from Swatantra Party state and regional units.
• The letter directs units to comment within the framework of the consensus reached at the April General Council meeting.
• The enclosed draft minutes concern the Party’s organisation and poor performance in the recent Assembly elections.
• The Council considered continuing as it was, merging with other parties, or disbanding and joining different political fields.
• The recorded consensus held that the Party’s principles and programmes were sound and that the Party should continue independently.
• The Council also recognised the need to communicate its policies in a manner generally understood and acceptable to the masses.
• The minutes defer final decisions to the June meeting in Madras and anticipate guidance from Rajaji.