Minutes of the Executive Meeting of the Swatantra Party, Maharashtra held on 12th October 1974 at Bombay.

Summary

These two pages record the proceedings of the Swatantra Party’s Maharashtra Executive Meeting, held in Bombay on 12 October 1974. The minutes list the chair and members present, confirm the minutes of the 17 August meeting, and note a decision to read future minutes only at the following meeting in order to economise on paper. The meeting also discussed co-opting additional members to the Executive Committee in response to the formation of the BLD, while members from Poona district were reported to have chosen to remain with the Swatantra Party.

The agreed programme of work focused on practical local and economic grievances: complaints from hutment-dwellers and municipal residents, constructive work with the Sarvodaya movement, assistance in obtaining ration and milk cards, conservation of electricity in Bombay, and unequal access to subsidised milk among income-tax payers and others. The meeting concluded with a decision to issue a press statement presenting the Swatantra Party as a “common man’s party,” following the departure of members who had joined the BLD.

Key points

• The Maharashtra Executive Meeting took place in Bombay on 12 October 1974, with Parmanand Kejriwal chairing.
• The minutes of the 17 August 1974 Executive Meeting were confirmed.
• The party discussed co-opting members to its Executive Committee after the formation of the BLD.
• Poona district Executive and State Council members were reported to have remained with the Swatantra Party.
• The programme of work addressed hutment-dwellers’ and municipal grievances, ration and milk cards, electricity conservation, and subsidised-milk disparities.
• The party decided to issue a press statement describing itself as a common man’s party.
• The meeting ended at approximately 6.00 p.m. with a vote of thanks to the chair.