Gujarat Swatantra leaders spared, says Masani

Summary

This one-page English newspaper clipping reports comments by M. R. Masani, then a former general secretary of the Swatantra Party, on the party’s decision not to take serious disciplinary action against its Gujarat leaders. Masani said the leaders had been called before the national executive to explain their conduct during the Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat; the article identifies N. Dandekar as the party’s present general secretary and says the relevant correspondence was released to the press in Bombay.

Under the subheading “COMMITTEE’S FAILURE,” Masani is reported to have described the committee’s published decision as an “eyewash.” He accused the committee of overlooking failures by the president and general secretary of the Gujarat State unit and the alleged canvassing by a national executive member against the party candidate. He characterized the disciplinary process as punishing junior figures while ignoring more senior figures, and said he could contribute more by remaining outside the national executive and offering advice for constructive work.

Key points

• M. R. Masani criticized the Swatantra Party’s decision not to impose serious disciplinary action on Gujarat leaders.
• The leaders had been asked to explain their conduct during Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat.
• N. Dandekar is identified as the party’s present general secretary.
• Masani called the committee’s published decision an “eyewash.”
• He alleged that the committee ignored failures by the Gujarat State unit’s president and general secretary.
• He also referred to a national executive member canvassing against the party candidate.
• Masani argued that the committee was targeting junior figures while overlooking senior figures.
• He said he could do more for the party from outside the national executive by giving advice and undertaking constructive work.