India's Swatantra Party

Abstract

IN THE INDIAN GENERAL ELECTIONS of i962, Swatantra (Freedom) Party established itself as considerable and highly controversial political force. Founded only in mid-i959, Swatantra must be credited with strong showing by contemporary Indian standards for performance of opposition parties. Polling about eight per cent of popular vote, it secured third largest contingent in House of People and second largest total of state assembly seats. It is principal opposition in states of Bihar, Gujerat, Rajasthan, and Orissa.From outset, nature and role of have been hotly disputed subjects. It has been described as of rich peasants in South, few finance capitalists in West, some Bihar and U. P. feudal atavisms, and communalist chiefs in North.2 It has been condemned by Indian Communist Party as one of forces of dark, right reaction3 and by Nehru as belonging to the middle ages of lords, castles and zamindars and becoming and more Fascist in outlook.4 One American scholar has labelled it a communal conservative party,5 while British observer has concluded that the victory of this could be an unmitigated disaster for India. . . .6 By contrast, its supporters see it as a progressive liberal party 7 which will slow down Congress steamroller8 by providing non-communist, non-socialist, secular, and constitutionalist alternative to ruling party. Barely surpassed by Swatantra literature itself was enthusiasm of American magazine Life, which contended that the Swatantra program could really get that huge country