"LEFT" VICTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 5

"LEFT" VICTORY.

INDIAN CONGRESS.

ULTIMATUM TO BRITAIN ?

RESISTANCE TO FEDERATION.

(Prom Our Own Correspondent.)

MADRAS, February 10.

With an intensity of excitement quite unknown in the history of the Indian National Congress, the presidential election was conducted in the last week of January, and the developments of that week have left politically-minded India perplexed as to their significance for the future. That Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose. the young Socialist of Bengal, has been re-elected president of the Congress for the coming year is an event of farreaching importance in the political history of India; but the fact that he has won the contest against the wishes of the Congress "high command - ' and the anticipation of the people of India makes it more noteworthy.

The election of the President had been a formality ever since 1885, when the Rational Congress was founded. Usually Mr. Gandhi has made the selection and the chosen candidate has been elected without a contest. The election this year would also have been uncontested, if Mr. Gandhi's nominee, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad—a prominent Moslem leader

and a member of the Congress Cabinet (the central executive," usually called the "high command")-had not rejected the opportunity, on the ground that the burdens of the President's office were too heavy and arduous for him to carry in his present state of health. Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose, the outgoing president, then sought re-election. But the "high command" as well as Mr. Gandhi were against any extension of his term, as he is a radical Socialist. During the past four years the Leftists have been hammering hard against the citadel of the Congress (predominantly Rightist) and the latter has been putting up with their activities in the hope that they- would soon decline. This hope has not materialised; the Leftists have steadily enhanced their position and influence in the Congress. Without making any practicable suggestions to improve the Rightist programme of work, for achieving national independence, the Leftists have been mouthing revolutionary slogans and in some cases also obstructing the Parliamentary programme of the Rightists now being put in operation in eight of the'provinces of India. Hence the executive, actings under Mr. Gandhi's advice, nominated Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, a member of the "old guard," for the Presidency. ~

I Suspicion of a Compromise. In ordinary circumstances, - Mr. Bose would have withdrawn his candidature leaving the field quite open for Dr. Pattabhi. But he thought that with the major question of the year—the inauguration of Federation, unsettled, it would be unwise to let a Rightist become the president. For it was widely believed that the right wing leaders of the Congress had decided to come to a compromise with the British Government on the question of Federation. No one can say how far the belief is correct, but Mr. Bose was afraid that it might be true. . . As the campaign proceeded, it took the appearance of a straight fight between the "old guard" led by the "high command" and the young Socialist element under the leadership of Mr. Bose. The Leftist group alleged that there was a deep conspiracy to bring about a compromise with Britain on the question of Federation and that some # members of the Cabinet had gone so far as to prepare a list of persons suitable for the prospective Federal Ministry. The voters were stampeded into support of Mr. Bose, as they were frightened into believing that the election of the right wing nominee would be a vote for Federation. It was a wrong idea and even Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, foremost Socialist leader of India, has himself denied all such ideological significances to.the election. He emphasised "Whoever wins, Federation loses" and hotlv refuted the suggestion that any Congressman was contemplating the acceptance of a compromise on Federation or that it would in any way improve the prospects of the rejection of Federation by the election of a Leftist.

The Congress Executive proclaimed in one of the statements that in their "pinion the re-election of Mr. Bose would Ih- 'harmful" to the country. This decided thfl issue more than'any other motor. Mr. Bose, apart from his personal qualities, quickly .appealed to many wayerera as the projected victim of some plot on the part of the "hijrh command." and lifted him to the Presidential chair.

Election Procedure. Before dealing with the lessons of the election it would be useful to relate the procedure adopted by the Congress organisation for Presidential election. there are about some millions of primary Congress members in the count,v - j£* r administrative purposes thev are tfivided into numerous territorial constituencies, the smallest unit being the village Congress Committee. The primary members elect the several committees rising up to the taluk, district and provincial committees, which are functioning all through the vcar. A month before the plenary session of the National Congress every* year, the delegates to the session, about 3000 in number, are elected in the several provinces by the primary members. These delegates automatically constitute the provincial committees and they elect the president for the coming year. According to the constitution, the President should nominate his Cabinet, but it is customary for the President to do so in consultation with the retiring Cabinet.

Mr. Gandhi's Attitude. This year the plenary session is to be held in Tripuri—a village in Central Provinces—and indications point to a battle royal between the Right and heft wings of the Congress. Mr. Gandhi interprets the defeat of the Kightist candidate as one of censure on his policy and principles and in a strongly worded statement issued soon after the contest says: "The defeat is more mine that his (Dr. Pattabhi's)," and utters a note of warning: "If the minority (Rightist) cannot keep pace with the majority, they must come out of the Congress." This is surely a harsh view of the Presidential election. The country has by no means outgrown the need" for Mr. Gandhi's leadership; nor is it in a ripe stage to follow the Leftist ideology fully. The Left wing, for that matter" is itself not confident of its own strength, and this is revealed in Mr. Jiose's reply to Gandhi. "It will always be my aim and object to win his (Gandhi's) confidence for the simple reason that it will be a tragic thing for me if I succeed in winning the confidence of other people but fail to win the confidence of India's greatest man."

Soine Rightist wingers regard Mr. Bose's victory as a "providential opportunity to call the Left wing bluff/' It is stated that Gandhi's statement is a declaration of the Right wing determination to have no truck with the extremists. Meanwhile, Mr. Bose is rallying his forces in an effort to hold his own. He has not yet decided on the policy to be outlined at Tripuri, but the proceedings of a district political conference which he attended after, the election indicates that the Congress may pass only one resolution, and that on Federation—on the lines of an ultimatum to the British Government that if within six months Britain does not give a clear and definite reply to India's demands, the AllIndia Congress Committee will take steps •or resort to such sanction as it considers best in order to enforce the national demand.

The country is anxiously looking forward to the deliberations and decisions of the Tripuri session.