Draft:Socialist Party (India, 1955)

Socialist Party
LeaderRam Manohar Lohia
FoundedDecember 28, 1955 (1955-12-28)
DissolvedJune 29, 1964 (1964-06-29)
Split fromPraja Socialist Party
Merged intoSamyukta Socialist Party
HeadquartersHyderabad
NewspaperMankind
Youth wingSamajwadi Yuwak Sabha
Labour wingHind Mazdoor Panchayat
Membership125,000 (1964)[1]
IdeologySocialism
ECI StatusNational party (1962)
Election symbol

The Socialist Party of India, also known as Socialist Party (Lohia Group) or the Lohia Socialists, was a political party in India 1955-1964. The party emerged out of a split in the Praja Socialist Party in 1955.

Split in the Praja Socialist Party

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Lohia was the general secretary of the Praja Socialist Party, but tension between him and other PSP leaders gradually grew.[2][3] In March 1954 the PSP had formed a minority government in the Travancore-Cochin State led by Pattom A. Thanu Pillai, with support from the Indian National Congress.[4][2] The formation of the Travancore-Cochin cabinet was preceded by differences of opinion on the approach the PSP should have taken in the state, with leaders like Lohia having preferred a leftist government whilst Jayaprakash Narayan and Asoka Mehta had initiated talks with the Congress Party.[4] On August 11, 1954, there was an incident where police opened fire on demonstrators who were demanding a merger of Tamil-speaking areas with Madras State.[1][5][6] In his role as PSP general secretary Lohia, at the time imprisoned at Allahabad jail, managed to send a message via telegraph ordering the local PSP unit to resign from the Travancore-Cochin government.[2][1] In Lohia's words using armed violence against unarmed protestors was unacceptable for a socialist government.[7] The PSP cabinet in Travancore-Cochin refused to follow Lohia's instruction.[7] Other PSP leader disapproved of the action taken by Lohia on the PSP cabinet in Travancore-Cochin, and saw Lohia's instruction to the socialists in Travancore-Cochin as an act of indiscipline.[2][1] Lohia resigned from his post as PSP general secretary in November 1954, in protest over the Travancore-Cochin government issue.[8]

Another issue that had caused rifts in the party was the opposition of the PSP to the irrigation struggle in Uttar Pradesh.[1] Lohia had been imprisoned for leading a farmers movement against the hike in rates of canal irrigation water, but the movement had not gotten support from the PSP nation-wide organization.[1][7] Attacks against Lohia's stances from other PSP leaders aggravated tensions, as did attacks by Lohia supporters (especially in Uttar Pradesh) against the PSP leadership.[1]

The 1955 Avadi session of the Indian National Congress adopted a wording on socialistic pattern of social development.[9] The adoption of socialism as principle by the Congress Party caused a heated debate within PSP.[10] Lohia wished for a more militant approach towards the Indian National Congress government and accused fellow PSP leader Asoka Mehta of 'blur[ring] features of democratic socialism'.[9] Lohia's grouping included Madhu Limaye, Keshav Gore, Bagaitkar and Naik Vinayak Kulkarni.[9]

A conflict erupted in the Bombay City PSP unit, as Madhu Limaye accused PSP leaders such as Asoka Mehta of planning to join the Congress Party.[2][1] The PSP Bombay City unit responded by suspended Limaye from the party for a one-year period.[2][1] On March 28, 1955 Lohia stated that decision to suspend Limaye was "a grave act with possibilities of very grave consequences".[11] The PSP National Executive Committee met in New Delhi from April 9-11, 1955. The meeting resolved to issue a warning to Lohia and others regarding their recent actions. The PSP National Executive Committee meeting endorsed the Bombay Committee's resolution whereby Limaye was suspended from party membership for one year but resolved that Limaye would be welcome back into the PSP fold if he expressed regret over his actions.[12] At a meeting in Hyderabad on May 30, 1955 Lohia argued that the "illusion" that the Congress and the Socialists could work together was causing serious paralysis in the PSP.[13]

The Uttar Pradesh unit of PSP, which was linked to Lohia, had invited Limaye to inaugurate the Uttar Pradesh state PSP convention.[2] In response the PSP National Executive Committee held an emergency session in New Delhi June 4-6, 1955.[14] The meeting noted that the party leadership had instructed the Uttar Pradesh party unit not to allow Limaye to speak at their provincial conference in Ghazipur, and in response to the defiance of the party unit in going ahead with the invitation to Limaye the PSP National Executive Committee declared the Uttar Pradesh PSP Executive suspended and formed a parallel ad hoc Uttar Pradesh PSP committee.[14][2] The PSP National Executive Committee called on party members not to attend the Ghazipur conference.[14]

On June 4, 1955 Lohia stated at a meeting in Mehboobnagar that he planned to create a new party before the end of the year, unless the PSP national leadership rectified its political line, and that he would carry out a tour across the country to mobilize support for the project.[1][14] Speaking in Allahabad on June 6, 1955 Lohia stated that the PSP National Executive Committee decision to suspend the Uttar Pradesh PSP Executive was a "monstrous act of power exhibition".[14] Limaye, when speaking at the dissident Ghazipur conference, stated the key question was whether the socialist party should be a mere instrument of the government or an independent force.[14]

Lohia embarked on his nationwide speaking tour. On June 16, 1955 he spoke in Patna, where he said that the PSP become ineffective as an opposition force in both the national parliament as well as the state legislatures.[14] At a press conference in Calcutta on June 24, 1955 Lohia repeated his threat of forming a new party before December 31, 1955.[14] He argued that there was "very little scope for opposition parties to co-operate with the Government in the execution of their Five-Year Plans".[14] On June 24, 1955 the dissident Uttar Pradesh Executive Committee concluded issued a resolution expressing full confidence in Lohia's role as the party leader and formed a nine-member Parliamentary Board for the selection of candidates for upcoming elections.[14] On July 15, 1955, at a meeting in Bombay, Lohia repeated his demands that PSP be reformed along democratic lines.[15]

The PSP National Executive Committee called for a meeting to be held in Jaipur, where intra-party differences could be resolved in a "cool and dispassionate manner".[6] The meeting took place between July 16 and 22, 1955.[15] Lohia refused to attend the Jaipur meeting.[6] On July 21, 1955 the PSP National Executive Committee issued a resolution condemning Lohia for "undermining the prestige and organization of the party and endangering its unity and solidarity" and decided to suspend Lohia's party membership (pending an explanation from him) for "gross acts" of indiscipline and disruption.[1][15] Lohia remained defiant in the face of the disciplinary measures against him. On the same day as his suspension Lohia adressed a meeting in Madurai, where he again threatened to set up his own party if the PSP national leadership would not move away from their "present impotency in fighting Governmental injustices".[15] Lohia called on the Revolutionary Socialist Party and dissident communists to join the efforts to build a new socialist movement.[15] The following day he spoke at a press conference in Bangalore where he affirmed that his suspension from PSP might push his grouping to "somewhat hasten their steps in forming a new party".[15] In parallel, as the PSP National Executive Committee concluded their Jaipur meeting they called on party members to avoid raising controversies on issues like elections.[15]

Lohia and the PSP National Executive Committee would narrate the circumstances of his departure from the party differently - Lohia claimed he had been expelled from the PSP whilst the PSP leadership would claim that he left the party on his own accord.[1] After the suspension of Lohia from PSP his followers began setting up local party units of their own.[10]

The feud between Lohia and the PSP National Executive Committee evoked reactions from different regional party units. On July 25, 1955 the PSP unit endorsed the decision to suspend Lohia and the Uttar Pradesh Executive from the party.[15] The PSP Delhi State Executive issues a resolution on July 27, 1955 fiercely critizising the suspension of Lohia.[15] On July 29, 1955 Lohia held a press conference in New Delhi, stating that his new party would be born "not later than December 31 and probably in November".[15] On August 10, 1955 Lohia supporters in Ludhiana announced the formation of a Socialist Party unit.[16]

On August 11, 1955 Lohia stated in Banares that the new party would be formed within three months.[16] On August 20, 1955 Lohia stated in Lucknow that he wished for the new party to be formed before the end of October 1955. He stated that socialist base committees and individuals would meet in five regional conferences before the end of September, leading up to an All India Party Conference. He hinted the name of the new party would probably be 'the Socialist Party of India'.[16]

On August 24, 1955 whilst addressing the Allahabad Press Club, Lohia announced that the 'Socialist Party of India' would be constituted shortly.[16] The following day Lohia alleged that the PSP national leadership had "fished out" an invitation from Nehru to form a Congress-PSP coalition government in 1953.[16] The Southern Regional Convention took place on August 29, 1955, at which a resolution was adopted which called on PSP units to affiliate themselves with the new Socialist Party.[16]

On September 3, 1955 the loyalist wing of PSP held its Uttar Pradesh state convention. At the meeting Jayaprakash Narayan denied Lohia's accusation that the PSP would seek cooperation with the government. Narayan argued that the organization being formed by Lohia would become a 'fascist party'[17] On September 16-17, 1955PSP dissidents from Bihar, West Bengal and Manipur held a convention, which resolved to set up state-level units to be affiliated with Lohia's Socialist Party.[17] On September 18, 1955 PSP dissidents in Bangalore announced that they were breaking their links to the PSP National Executive Committee.[17] On September 23, 1955 the Lohia group in Uttar Pradesh inaugurated a special convention in Kanpur.[17] On September 26, when speaking at the Kanpur convention, Lohia said that the socialists should start preparing themselves to seize power from the Congress government within seven years.[17] On October 9, 1955 a special PSP convention in Vindhya Pradesh decided to break with the PSP National Executive Committee and declare its alliegance to the Lohia's Socialist Party."[18] On October 18, 1955 some 300 protestors from Lohia's Socialist Party took to the streets in New Delhi for a 'Demands Day' rally.[18]

On November 2-3, 1955 zonal and state-level representatives of the PSP dissidents from across India gathered for a meeting in Bhopal.[19] The meeting decided that the new party would hold its founding conference in Hyderabad from December 28 to January 3.[19] In his speech at the Bhopal meeting he stated that the new Socialist Party would not look at the Congress Socialist Party, the old SP or the PSP as models for its political path ahead.[19] He argued that all the contemporary opposition parties in India merely reacted to the actions of the Government, and called for the new Socialist Party to break with this pattern.[19] The Bhopal meeting issued a resolution condemning the murder of a socialist activist in Barabanki on October 16, 1955, and which argued that the Uttar Pradesh state government as responsible for the act due to its failure to ensure security for the popular movements. The resolution argued that the murder constiuted "the final assertion of the utter fiasco of [the Uttar Pradesh state government's] zamindari abolition policies."[19] Another resolution adopted at Bhopal charged the government with "utter neglect" in relation to recent floods, and called for compensation to affected communities.[19]

The Bhopal meeting also issued a resolution on the States Reorganisation Commission report, which argued that the Commission "has done no more than recommend minor changes in the existing administrative map of India [...] Some major aspirations of a long past have remained unfulfilled". The resolution accused the Congress Party government of using the states reorganisation process as a divide and rule tactic, arguing that the Commission report "has now placed the ruling party in the doubly advantageous position of, on the one hand, championing the conflicting territorial claims of different linguistic groups" whilst it had also "secured the advantage of 'setting itself up as the arbiter of those same conflicting claims."[19] The Bhopal meeting called for unambiguous acceptance of the principle of linguistic states and asked its party units to "unfold all vigorous action, without resort to violence".[19]

On December 4, 1955 the Western Zone socialist conference was held. The conference called for direct action in case the demand for a united Maharashtra state with Bombay as its capital had not been fulfilled by the first week of January 1956.[20]

Founding conference of the Socialist Party

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As announced, the founding conference of the Socialist Party took place in Hyderabad between December 28, 1955 and January 3, 1956.[21] The conference gathered some 1,000 participants.[22] In his speech to the conference Lohia called for building a broad based socialist opposition party and he outlined a Seven-Year Plan to seize power in India.[21] The new party would reject both capitalism and communism.[21]

On January 1, 1956 the Hyderabad conference passed a resolution announcing plans to set up a "conscious, militant volunteer organisation to be named as Socialist Seva Dal".[21] On January 2, 1956 the Hyderabad conference unanimously passed a resolution endorsing Lohia's Seven-Year Plan to Power.[21] Moreover, the conference passed a resolution condemning the Dulles-Cunha [ru] statement on Goa.[21] On January 3, 1956 Lohia was elected chairman of the new party.[21]

Representatives of the Socialist Republican Party attended the Hyderabad conference.[22] A faction of the remnants of SRP joined Lohia's Socialist Party.[23] In parallel to the Hyderabad conference, the PSP held its second annual conference in Gaya.[20]

1957 elections

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  • contested 33 LS and 335 LA seats, won 9 LS seats and 55 LA seats[24]
  • 1952 SP Tree and KMPP Hut, PSP merged Hut, 1955 split "This newly formed Socialist Party claimed amongst it members persons who were members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblis also" "These members , they said , polled 3 percent of valid votes . On this ground they sought recognition ", asked for Tree symbol, ECI rejected, " their request and asked them to re - established their claim after contesting the next elections as an unrecognized party with a free symbol ", "contested its case against the Commission in the High Court but without success"[25]

Won 24 UP LA seats in 1957[2]

page 40 - 25 seats in 1957??[2]

  • 1957 LS election in UP, Lohia Socialists won 5.67%[26]
  • 1957 LS election, estimated Lohia Socialists 1,4 million votes[27]
  • 1957 Manipur territorial council election, 7 socialists elected[27]
  • Second Lok Sabha, 7 SP Lohia[28]
  • UP LA election 1957 SP ran as independents, won 25 seats[29]
  • 1957 election in Bihar, no Lok Sabha seat, won 1 MLA, 316,225 votes in assembly election.[9]
  • 1957 election "diametrically opposed points . The ' Lohia Socialists ' were ready to take on all comers ; the rump PSP negotiated electoral deals with every party from extreme right to extreme left"[10]
  • 1957 Lok Sabha election, Lohia Socialists won 6 seats and 1.3-1.5 votes.[30]
  • 1957 Orissa LA election, Lohia Socialists won 1 seat.[31]
  • "*Mr. Rishang Keishing is a prominent member of the Socialist Party of India and represents Manipur Hills inthe Indian Parliament."[32]


  • 1957 UP LA election "about 130 Lohia candidates", 25 elected.[27]
  • Limaye lost seat, although having returned hero from Goa jail.[33]
  • "Lohia's Socialist Party which had followed a purist , no alliance line , did not fare well either . It got eight seats in Parliament and 52 in the State Assemblies"[34]

1960 Kerala election

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The Socialist Party had not contested the 1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, but it did field four candidates in the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election.[35][36] The Socialist Party candidate in the Kuthuparamba constituency, K.K. Aboo, was supported by the Communist Party of India.[37][35] K.K. Aboo finished in second place with 18,691 votes (30.63%).[38] All the remaining Socialist Party candidates forfeited their deposits, Paul Kunnil got 748 votes (1.41%) in Ramamangalam, M.A. Augustine got 267 votes (0.55%) in Thodupuzha and Ramankutty Menon got 1,595 votes in Wadakkancherry (two-member constituency).[36][35][38]

1962 elections

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  • UP LA 24 in 1962[2]
  • bargad election symbol 1962[24]
  • tree symbol in previous election (1962)[39]
  • Lok Sabha 1962 election, 107 candidates, 6 elected, 3,099,397 votes (2.69%)[40]

Out of 13 states that held state legislative assembly elections in 1962, SP contested 12.

Socialist Party performance in the 1962 parliamentary and state assembly elections
State 1962 Lok Sabha election 1962 state assembly elections
Candidates Seats won Votes % of votes Candidates Seats won Votes % of votes % of votes in seats contested Reference
Andhra Pradesh 1962 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election 15 2 70,878 0.61% 12.99% [41]
Assam 2 0 72,006 2.89% 1962 Assam Legislative Assembly election 14 0 36,672 1.50% 12.63% [42]
Bihar 24 1 608,284 6.12% 1962 Bihar Legislative Assembly election 132 7 515,263 5.23% 12.29% [43]
Gujarat 1 0 2,581 0.05% 1962 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election 2 0 1,362 0.03% 1.72% [44]
Madhya Pradesh 14 1 354,595 5.29% 1962 Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election 86 14 310,181 4.73% 15.66% [45]
Madras 2 0 45,097 0.36% 1962 Madras Legislative Assembly election 7 1 48,753 0.38% 10.51% [46]
Maharashtra 1962 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election 14 1 54,764 0.50% 7.02% [47]
Manipur 2 1 69,586 26.3%
Mysore 1962 Mysore Legislative Assembly election 9 1 62,809 1.00% 21.46% [48]
Orissa 3 1 52,633 2.67%
Punjab 1 1 152,369 2.25% 1962 Punjab Legislative Assembly election 8 4 93,801 1.39% 26.51% [49]
Rajasthan 6 0 191,823 3.69% 1962 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election 40 5 189,147 3.68% 15.74% [50]
Uttar Pradesh 51 1 1,546,869 8.64% 1962 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election 273 24 1,462,359 8.21% 12.74% [51]
West Bengal 1 0 3,554 0.04% 1962 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election 7 0 2,663 0.03% 0.98% [52]
Total 107 6 3,099,397 2.69% 607 59 2,848,652 13.24%
  • "musing over the results of the Genral Elections, 1962,Lohia: 'what can defeat the Congress Party in the country as a whole is a party to the left of it, committed not only to the social and economic revolution, but also to non-violence and nationalism"[53]
  • 1962 election "theory of equidistance and irrelevance, trekked out its electoral-path alone"[53]
  • Election Manifesto 1962 SP all other parties "instruments of the English-oriented, high-caste, moneyed middle class"[53]
  • "the Socialist Party end "inequality between the big man and the small man" Called to continue revolutionary struggle through Satyagraha and agitations.[53]
  • Promised 60% reservation all leading posts to women, Sudras, Harijans, Adivasis and backward classes, "so long as caste differences in mind and education are not destroyed"[53]
  • at inter-caste marriage as qualification for govt jobs[53]
  • make inter-caste dining twice a year mandatory for govt jobs[53]
  • . "Their reverses were : defeat of Raj Narain Singh, President of All India Socialist Party in his home constituency, defeat of Braj Raj Singh, its leader in Lok Sabha and that of Dr. Lohia."[53]


Andhra Pradesh

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In Andhra State the dominant section of PSP, led by P.V.G. Raju (Maharaja of Vijayanagaram), sided with Lohia in the 1955 party split.[9][54][55] There had been a conflict between P.V.G. Raju and Tenneti Viswanadham over the control of the Andhra PSP unit.[55] Other leaders of the Andhra Lohia Socialists included Gautam Rao, Badrivishal Pitti, Chakradhar and G. Rajaram.[55] All 13 state legislators elected in the 1955 Andhra State Legislative Assembly election joined Lohia's Socialist Party in the split.[56] Once the new party was formally constituted, the nation-wide Central Office of the Socialist Party was set up in Hyderabad.[55]

With the merger of Andhra State and Hyderabad State into Andhra Pradesh, the Socialist Party units merged as well.[55] P.V.G. Raju became the party leader in the state legislature, Rajaram served as the deputy leader of the legislative faction and Ratnasabhapathy served as the secretary.[55] The party mustered some 529,000 votes in the 1957 Indian general election in Andhra Pradesh.[27]

After the 1957 elections tensions grew between P.V.G. Raju and the Socialist Party national leadership, leading to the disaffiliation of the Andhra Pradesh unit from the party.[54][9][55] In 1959 the P.V.G. Raju group merged with the Democratic Party, forming the Socialist Democratic Party.[9][55]

Trade union movement

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After the PSP-SP party split in 1955, the Lohia Socialists continued to work within the socialist trade union centre Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS). But in 1959 some SP-led trade unions in Bombay were disaffiliated from HMS due to non-payment of union dues.[57][58][59] In 1962 the Socialist Party launched its own trade union centre, the Hind Mazdoor Panchayat (HMP).[57][58][59] George Fernandes became the HMP general secretary.[60]

  • 1957 LS election, 5 seats won by Lohia group[61]
  • 1957 LS election, Lohia contested Chandauli seat, second with 97,911 votes (42.13%)[62]

Punjab

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When the PSP was divided, Dr. Krishan sided with Lohia.[63] When the Socialist Party was formed Dr. Krishan became the secretary of the Punjab branch and Mani Ram Bagri the chairman.[63] Dr. Krishan was an active leader of the party between 1955 and 1957, and was arrested in Chandigarh in connection with the Sirsa agitation.[63] The party had some influence among agricultural labourers and Harijans, as well as having some pockets of support in the Hindi-speaking region.[64]

In the 1957 Punjab Legislative Assembly election the Socialist Party contested seven constituencies in the Mahindergarh District and the Hissar District, as well as one constituency in Patiala District.[64] The party got some 1.38% of the votes in the state, but managed to win seats as its vote was concentrated into a handful of constituencies.[64] The party received support from powerful individuals who were not necessarily socialist sympathizers but who appreciated the anti-Congress approach of the party.[64]

United Socialist Party in Uttar Pradesh

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  • After 1962 some back-benchers of SP and PSP planned United SP in secret in assembly, but after few weeks Lohia intervened and blocked the effor[2]
  • after 1962 UP LA election "uddenly, the national executives of both parties were faced by a de facto merger in the UP legislature on December 13, i962. The merger was unique, a unilateral ation taken by the UP party leaders without the prior initiative and approval of the national executives of both parties. It resulted from a meeting of 54 UP legislative members of both parties. After weighing their differences, they decided to set up a 3-man committee to prepare a policy-statement mutually acceptable to both groups."[1]
  • UP merger to face emerges of right wing JS, who got 49 seats[1]
  • also "merger was the reaction against the Congress-Communist alliance on the UP Emergency Surcharge on Land Revenue and Rent Bill in the legislature and the CPI support of the Nehru Government in the Lok Sabha."[1]
  • Resignation of UP PSP leader Genda Singh, replaced by Balwant Singh (deputy leader and former SP member), improved prospects for unity. In SP UP unit led by Ugra Sen, a moderate on merger issue.[1]
  • United Socialist Group gathered 59 legislators UP[1]
  • SP represented in USG 3 man committe by MLA Kashinath Misra[1]
  • SP chairman Raj Naraian called it violation of SP constitution. Dispatched R.S. Yadav, Lok Sabha leader SP, and G. Murahari, Secretary SP Parliamentary Board to Lucknow[1]
  • Murahari "idrective to the SP legislators involved to either dissociate themselves from the new group unless it accepted the SP program "[1]
  • Naraian accepted USP after 3 man USP committee accepted the 1962 SP Election Manifesto as working basis. No disciplinary action[1]
  • " principle of merger unanimously accepted by the USP at its first general meeting on December 25, i962 at Lucknow"[1]
  • national issues would be decided by the 2 NEC[1]
  • 15 member SP NExecutive[1] Most ok with talks with PSP, but 3 opposed any merger[1]
  • "Ntional Conference of the party which met in Bharatpur at the end of December i962"[1]
  • SP Bharatpur conference, 17 hours discussion, resolution approved NE to take steps for unity with PSP if the latter accepted SP 1962 Election Manifesto. 221 votes in favour, 61 against. Opponents of merger said NE had forfeited confidence of rank and file by approving UP merger[1]
  • Lohia said he would not participate in unity talks, old age and his might block, but ok with unity on basis of SP Manifesto. Lohia did not attend Bharatpur[1]
  • PSP NEC did not respond positively to SP condition.[1]
  • unity talks were already occuring in MP, MH, BR, RJ, PB. SP NE issued warning to state units that they would face disciplinary action if unity talk before national issue resolved[1]
  • "critical phase of the national talks began in New Delhi on January 10, I963 with the SP demanding PSP accept of its Election Manifesto as

its pre-condition while the PSP continuously asked for clarification of some of its provisions"[1]

  • PSP had issues with "status of English, governing policy toward scheduled castes and untouchables, Chinese aggression, evaluation of political parties, the role of the intelligentsia, the right of public employees other than members of the armed forces and police to actively participate in politics, as well as the uncomplimentary references to the PSP."[1]
  • PSP NEC met in New Delhi January 29, 1963. propsed a 7-member joint committee led by S. M. Joshi.[1]
  • SP rejected the proposition, and instead called on PSP units to affiliate with SP.[1]
  • SP gen sec Robi Roy[1]
  • 1963 Feb - Narain and Roy travelled to Lucknow, to pressure SP MLAs to abandon USP. A section of SP MLAs proposed a motion that USP condemn actions of PSP NEC on merger. PSP refused, and Ugra Sen abandonned the USP. Narain tried to get SP MLAs to sign that they renounced USP and binding themselves to SP party discipline. 8 out of 24 signed, the rest stayed in USP[1]

1963 Farrukhabad by-election

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In 1963 Lohia abandonned his rigid opposition to electoral alliances, much to the surprise of his own followers.[33] In a by-election for the Jaunpur Lok Sabha constituency seat, Lohia campaigned for the candidature of Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya.[33] Later the same year, there was a by-election for the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency seat. Farrukhabad had been a PSP stronghold, but Lohia decision to stand as a candidate.[1] Lohia won the election, defeating the Congress Party candidate B.V. Keskar whilst the PSP landed in a humiliating third place.[1][9][3][65] During the campaign the Congress Party had tried to paint Lohia as both anti-Brahmin and anti-Muslim.[33] Lohia had received support from the Jan Sangh in the electoral campaign.[1]

Merger into SSP

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  • 1964 remnants of PSP after Mehta split merged with SP into SSP.[66]
  • PSP opposed % reservation, and opposed right of public employees to organize in political partiew[1]
  • SP mainly based in Hindi belt, but for PSP Hindi was problematic for southern supporters[1]
  • Informal talks continued, but by May 1963 had led nowhere[1]
  • May 24, i963 at a Special Convention the merger resolution without any pre-conditions was passed with only a sole dissenter, Naresh Modhak of West Bengal[1]
  • Shibhan Lal Saxena resigned from SP, for pressure on Saxena to break with UP USP. On October 13, 1963 Saxena organized a rally at Maharaj Ganj, his followers broke away from SP[1]
  • Saxena had opposed Lohia for suspending Delhi unit (who opposed taking JS support for Farrukhabad campaign), Lohia's opposition to Saxena defending Nehru against charge he was responsible for Sino war 1962 reversal[1]
  • With Ashoka Mehta out of PSP, Lohia ok with unconditional merger[1]
  • "SP National Executive adopted Lohia's suggestion for unconditional merger and appointed a five-man subcommittee to negotiate with the PSP on February I4, i964. "[1]
  • In Bombay City units began function as one[1]
  • " joint convention of the Delhi units of the PSP, SP, Forward Bloc and a few members of the defunct CSP met in April i964 to launch a drive for Nehru's resignation. InRajasthan and Tamilnad, cooperation between the two was the order of the day."[1]
  • May i964 both parties held their national conferences.[1]
  • "The Socialist Party with its I25,000 membership, met at Gaya on May 24, I964, and by a vote of 199 to 1 formally resolved to merge without any pre-conditions. Both parties were anxious to have their joint ad hoc committee functioning before the Mehta-supported All-India Socialist Workers Conference meeting, postponed from May, would hold its meeting on June i0, i964."[1]
  • New party SSP[1]


  • In 1963 PSP split with Mehta and his followers leaving. Remnants of PSP merged witH lohia SP, forming SSP.[9]
  • merger into SSP June 29 , 1964[67]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az Schoenfeld, Benjamin N. The Birth of India's Samyukta Socialist Party. Pacific Affairs, vol. 38, no. 3/4, 1965, pp. 245–68. JSTOR
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cite error: The named reference burgerlohia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference skmat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 2. March 1955. p. 8
  5. ^ Ajay Singh Almust. Lohia, the Rebel Gandhian. Mittal Publications, 1998. p. 97
  6. ^ a b c Sundar Lal Poplai. National Politics and 1957 Elections in India. Metropolitan Book Company, 1957. pp. 20, 23
  7. ^ a b c Chitrita Chaudhuri. Rammanohar Lohia and the Indian Socialist Thought. Minerva Associates (Publications) Pvt. Limited, 1993. p. 58
  8. ^ Current Affairs. A. Mukherjee & Company, 1960. p. 299
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Sadhna Sharma. States Politics in India. Mittal Publications, 1995. pp. 37, 99-100, 200-201, 481
  10. ^ a b c Hugh Tinker. India and Pakistan: A Political Analysis. Pall Mall P., 1967. p. 117
  11. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 3. April 1955. p. 24
  12. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 4. May 1955. p. 13
  13. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 5. June 1955. p. 27
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 6. July 1955. pp. 14, 24-26, 30
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 7. August 1955. pp. 15, 24-26, 28-29
  16. ^ a b c d e f Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 8. September 1955. pp. 16, 24, 26-27
  17. ^ a b c d e Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 9. October 1955. pp. 20, 23, 25-26
  18. ^ a b Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 10. November 1955. pp. 26-27
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 11. December 1955. pp. 18-19
  20. ^ a b Indian Affairs Record. Vol. I, No. 12. January 1956. pp. 27-29
  21. ^ a b c d e f g Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 1. February 1956. p. 11, 17, 24
  22. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference rvka was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Sajal Basu. Factions, Ideology, and Politics: Coalition Politics in Bengal. Minerva Associates (Publications), 1990. p. 89
  24. ^ a b Nanak Chand Mehrotra. Lohia: A Study. Atma Ram, 1978. pp. 14, 39
  25. ^ The Indian Political Science Review, Vol. 6. Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, 1971. p. 63
  26. ^ Brass, Paul R. Congress, the Lok Dal, and the Middle-Peasant Castes: An Analysis of the 1977 and 1980 Parliamentary Elections in Uttar Pradesh. Pacific Affairs, vol. 54, no. 1, 1981, pp. 5–41. JSTOR
  27. ^ a b c d Roach, James R. India's 1957 Elections. Far Eastern Survey, vol. 26, no. 5, 1957, pp. 65–78. JSTOR
  28. ^ Diwan, Paras. "INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE WORKING OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY: AN ANALYSIS." Journal of the Indian Law Institute, vol. 19, no. 3, 1977, pp. 217–40. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43950513. Accessed 22 Sept. 2024.
  29. ^ Paul R. Brass. Factional Politics in an Indian State. University of California Press, 1965. p. 25
  30. ^ Shiv Lal. Indian Elections Since Independence, Vol. 1. Election Archives, 1972. p. 21
  31. ^ Frederick George Bailey. Politics and Social Change. University of California Press, 1963. p. 5
  32. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 5. June 1956. p. 1
  33. ^ a b c d Rahul Ramagundam. The Life and Times of George Fernandes. Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 2022
  34. ^ Sonal Shah. Indian Socialists: Search for Identity. Popular Prakashan, 1994. p. 93
  35. ^ a b c K. P. Bhagat. The Kerala Mid Term Election of 1960: The Communist Party's Conquest of New Positions. Popular Book Depot, 1962. pp. 19, 25, 35, 132
  36. ^ a b Rajgopalan, K. R. ELECTIONS IN KERALA — A FACTUAL STUDY. The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 21, no. 2, 1960, pp. 165–83. JSTOR
  37. ^ FROM 50 YEARS AGO. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 45, no. 3, 2010, p. 7
  38. ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20150424211750/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1960/StatRep_Kerala_1960.pdf
  39. ^ R. P. Bhalla. Elections in India, 1950-1972. S. Chand, 1973. p. 164
  40. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. [1]
  41. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150509065939/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_AP_1962.pdf
  42. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150424133441/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Assam_1962.pdf
  43. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150424145333/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Bihar_1962.pdf
  44. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150424120844/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Gujarat_1962.pdf
  45. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150509125904/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_MP_1962.pdf
  46. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150509125821/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Madras_1962.pdf
  47. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150508102213/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Maharastra_1962.pdf
  48. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150508041309/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Mysore_1962.pdf
  49. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150509010647/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Punjab_1962.pdf
  50. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150508184900/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_Rajasthan_1962.pdf
  51. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150318023135/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_UP_1962.pdf
  52. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150509005035/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1962/StatRep_WB_1962.pdf
  53. ^ a b c d e f g h Sinha, L. P. THE LEFTWING PARTIES AND THE GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1962. The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 23, no. 1/4, 1962, pp. 361–70. JSTOR
  54. ^ a b Agarala Easwara Reddi. Lok Sabha Elections, 1977 & 1980, in Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu Academy of Political Science, 1985. p. 73
  55. ^ a b c d e f g h Vadakattu Hanumantha Rao. Party Politics in Andhra Pradesh, 1956-1983. ABA Publications, 1983. p. 107
  56. ^ New Age, Vol. 6. D. P. Sinha at New Age Printing Press, 1957. p. 18
  57. ^ a b Harold A. Crouch. Trade Unions and Politics in India. Manaktalas, 1966. p. 227
  58. ^ a b Lewis P. Fickett. The Major Socialist Parties of India: A Study in Leftist Fragmentation. Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, 1976. p. 128
  59. ^ a b Shanta Arvind Vaidya. Hind Mazdoor Sabha, 1948-1984. Maniben Kara Institute, 1985. p. 26
  60. ^ Chaudhry Abdul Hafeez. The Role of Trade Unions in Developing Countries with Especial Reference to Pakistan, India and Nigeria. Zentrale Universitätsdrukerei, 1978. p. 125
  61. ^ Jyotsna K. Kamat. Socialism of Jawaharlal Nehru. Abhinav Publications, 1980. p. 236
  62. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150508101835/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1957/Vol_I_57_LS.pdf
  63. ^ a b c K. L. Johar. Struggles & Memoirs of the Socialists, 1947-1957: Punjab, Pepsu, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh. Harman Publishing House, 1997. p. 188
  64. ^ a b c d Khanna, B. S. THIRD GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE PANJAB (1962). The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 24, no. 1, 1963, pp. 51–64. JSTOR
  65. ^ Saini, Mahander Kumar, and Mahindar Kumar Saini. A STUDY OF NO-CONFIDENCE MOTIONS IN THE INDIAN PARLIAMENT (1952-70). The Indian Journal of Political Science, vol. 32, no. 3, 1971, pp. 297–318. JSTOR
  66. ^ Cite error: The named reference crba was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  67. ^ The Election Archives, Issues 37-40. Shiv Lal, 1979. p. 185



rump bullet points

edit
  • Lohia loyalists formed Socialist Party. Bulk of ex CSP and ex KMPP stayed with PSP, LSP mainly ex CSP but few ex KMPP[1]


around 1957 occassional talks of unity with PSP, nothing concrete[1]

more concentrated around leadership figure of Lohia than PSP[1]

1957 merger PSP talk, did not result[1]

Lohia staunc anti INC, anti Nehru[1]

sometimes seeking alliances with CPI and JS, sometimes opposed[1]

in 1959 small split. Splinter group disintegrated, some joined CPI, PSP or INC, some independents some left politics[1]

agitations, civil disobience movements, walkouts from assembly or protests from assembly floor. Compared with PSP, less emphasis on economic issues and more on caste and language. SP called for abolishing English and use regional languages only, with Hindi being link language. 60% govt jobs reservation for BC, SC or women. abolish caste. called for tearing down british statues.[1]

1962 UP election 37 (17.1%) Brahmin, 38 Thakur (17.6%), 16 Bania (7.4%), 7 Kayasth (3.2%), other elite castes (Jat, Bhumihar etc) 6 (2.8%). 19 Kurmi (8.8%), 30 Yadav (13.9%), 3 Lodhi-Rajput (1.4%), 15 Other BC (6.9%), 21 Muslim (9.7%), SC in gen seats 17 (7.9%), not ascertained 7 (3.3%)[1]

party stronghold in districts of former Oudh kingdom[1] Weak in western UP.[1]



UP 1 2.2.59 CHANDAULI SOC 104133 P.N. SINGH [2]

Feb1956 joined Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti.[3]


"Lohia's supporters ( in 1959 ) passed a resolution committing the prty to secure 60 per cent of leadership posts in political parties , government services , business and the armed forces fr Shudras , Harijans" "armed forces for Shudras , Harijans , Scheduled tribes , religious minorities and women . ""Subsequently , in April 1961 , the Socialist Party re- slved that 60 per cent of its candidates in the upcoming general elections should be from""Socialist party leaders in Bihar , who had opposed as retrograde the shft in emphsis from class to caste issus , slowed down effective implmenta- ton "[4]


  • February SP opposed proposed merger of Bihar and WB[5]
  • March 1, 1956 "Abig procession consisting of about 20,000 people organizéd by the Socialist Party of India demonstrated in Lucknow demanding among other things equitable distribution of land, decentralization of administration, jobs for unemployed and old-age pensions."[6]
  • March 5, 1956 "The National Committee of the Socialist Party of India in a resolution stated that the reorganization of states should take place generally on the basis of language."[6]
  • June 11, 1956 "The National Committee of the Socialist Partyaproved the resolution passed by the Bihar SocialistParty to launch a civil disobedience movement"[7]
  • June 19, 1956 Lohia stated in Hyderabad "SP was prepared to hold talks with the Chief Minister off Bihar o the party's demand for the abolition of certain taxes levied in the state"[7]
  • July 6, 1956 "Dr. Lohia, Socialist leader, told a Press conference in Patna that the Socialist Party would launch civil disobedience movement in Bihar"[8]
  • July 6, 1956 "The Executive Committee of the Orissa Socialist Party at a meeting at Kanakpur decided not to have any electoral alliance with any party in the next general elections."[8]
  • July 18, 1956 Lohia rejected statement of Electoral Commissioner that SP would not get an electoral symbol[8]
  • July 28, 1956 congrat Nasser, Lohia, toldaparty meetingofa newepoch ofeconomicequalityamongthe nationsofthe world.Itwas

reportedthat the partyalsoconsidered theraisingof an'Asian Brigade' consisting of volunteerforces from some of the South- East Asian countries to stand by Egypt in case of anyattack by the Western Powers"[9]

  • July 30, 1956 "Press at Hyderabad Dr. Lohia. Socialist leader, said India should take its cue from Egypt's nationalization of the Suez and take

steps to end the exploitation of Indian resources by foreign companies"[8]

  • August 26, 1956 "Press Conference at Allahabad, Mr. Ja dish Joshi, a member of the National Executive of the Socialist Party, announced his Party's decision

to launch civil disobedience movement in Bihar."[10]

  • September 8, 1956 "A Five Year Plan for extending the civil disobedience movement to the entire country was envisaged by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Socialist Party Chairman, while addressing a public meeting at Patna."[11]
  • September 13, 1956 "U.P. SP reaffirmed its decision not to enter into electoral alliance or adjustment with the Opposition parties"[11]
  • September 20, 1956 "The National Committee of the Socialist Party atParty its meeting at Nagpur supported Egypt's policy on Suez Canal"[11]
  • "Bipin Pal Das is General Secretary, Socialist Party of India."[12]
  • Dec 1956 "he annual session of Lohia-led Socialist Party of India was held in Prahlad Nagar, Madhya Pradesh, during the last days of December. The session reiterated the Party's policy, formulated earlier, against having a united front or electoral alliance with other parties, during the ensuingGeneral Election. The Party also rejected the idea of adjustment on seats through negotiation. In a resolution on home policy, the party drew the attention of the partyto the importance of collective and individual satyagraha as a counterdote to 'disorders and totalitarian tendencies' . "
  • foreign policy resolution rejected association w/ commonwealth ' The Anglo- Indian alliance is a primary reason for the passivity and meaningless vagueness of India's foreign policy and unless the Anglo- Indian connection is destroyed, the party (India?) can neither attain self-respect nor an effective foreign policy' .
  • the resolution said- "To attain a people to people relationship, a instead of a Government to Government relationship, would be step towards socialist civilisation. Only through demolishing national boundaries with an indomitable faith in fraternity, equality and non-violence, will mankind be able to create a new world for itself. "[13]

Hyderabad, Mankind, journal August 1956, 3-6-19 Himayatnagar[10] Central Office in Hyderabad[14]


Dhanik Lal Mandal is GS SP.[15]

" Rift at Sherghati At the Second National Conference of the Scialist Party at Sher- ghati in April 1958 , the issue of the merger of the PSP and the Socialist Party was discussed again . The prvious demand that for the unity th PSP must accept the Statement of Principles , Programme and Constitution of the Socialist Party was reiterated . But such a rigd attitude cost a cleavage in the Prty . An important section of the Party which disagreed with the attitude and other policies of the Party's leadership formed itslf into an open faction . At th Conference itself , a pamphlet was circulated criticising the growth of " personality cult " in the Party . Lohia's role was criticised widely""Bipin Pal Dass acused Lohia for violating the Party Constitution and encouraging his followers to indulge in ' gang- sterism ' for the purpose of sppressing his critics in theSher- ghati Conference . To Dass the biggest problem"" before the S.P. at present was Lohia's ' autocracy , arrogance and whimsicality'.5 it was pointed out that Sherhati ' had no greater purpose than to defend and perpetuate ' the cult of ""Owing to the stiff opposition adopted by Lohia and his followrs , an important sectionof the Party left the Socialist Party"[16]

Bipin Pal Das general secretary[17]

  • Lohia editor of Mankind[18]
  • "Since September this year a Satya- graha campaign for the realisation of a twelve - point demand , including land to the tiller , removal of ' oppressive and vexatious taxes ' , fixation of mini- mum wage for agricultural labour and total remission of land revenues on profitless agriculture , jobs for the unemployed , etc. , has been launched in Bihar" 1956 presumably[17]
  • 1957 mutiny centennary commemoration, unusal unity of left groups CPI, PSP, SP in UP, protests. In Banaras statue of Queen Victoria torn down. In Etawah demonstrators renamed Victoria Hall after Rani of Jhansi[19]
  • Samajwadi Yuwak Sabha[20]




 
Lohia Socialists in 1962 elections

1957 LS test

edit
attempt to identify Lohia Socialists among Independents in the 1957 Lok Sabha
State Seat MP ?
Andhra Pradesh Visakhapatnam Pusapati Vijayarama Gajapati Raju Yes
Parvathipuram (ST) Dippala Suri Dora Yes
Assam Autonomous District (ST) Hynniewta Hoover No
Bihar Buxar Kamal Singh Maybe
Bombay State Ahmedabad Indulal Yagnik Maybe
Karsandas Ukabhai Parmar Maybe
AHMEDNAGAR KHADILAKAR RAGHUNATH KESHAV Maybe
KOPARGAON KAMBLE BAPU CHANDRASEN Maybe
Kaira F. R. D. Thakor No
Mehsana PATEL PURSHOTTAMDAS RACHHODDAS Maybe
Patan Motisinh Bahadursinh Thakore No
Sholapur (SC) Jayawant Ghanashyam More Maybe
Kerala Manjeri B. Pocker No
Trivandrum S. Easwaran Iyer No
Madras State Chengleput Dr. A. Krishnaswami Maybe
N. Sivaraj Maybe
Madras North S. C. C. Anthony Pillai Yes
THIRUVANNAMALAI DHARMALINGAM Maybe
Tindivanam N.P. Shanmugha Goundar No
Cuddalore T.D. Muthukumarasamy Naidu No
SRIVILLIPUTHUR U. Muthuramalingam Thevar No
Namakkal (SC) E.V.K. Sampath No
Mysore State Bijapur North Murigappa Siddappa Sugandhi Maybe
Orissa Ganjam Uma Charan Patnaik Maybe
Keonjhar (ST) Laxmi Narayan Bhanja Deo Maybe
Mayurbhanj (ST) Ram Chandra Majhi No
Rajasthan Jaipur Harish Chandra Sharma Maybe
Barmer Capt. Maharawal Raghunath Singh Maybe
Bikaner Karni Singh Maybe
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Angela S. Burger. Opposition in a Dominant-Party System A Study of the Jan Sangh, the Praja Socialist Party, and the Socialist Party in Uttar Pradesh, India. University of California Press, 1969. p. 33, 39-42, 49-50, 55, 109
  2. ^ Election Commission of India. Bye-election results 1952-95
  3. ^ Craig Baxter. The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016. p. 159, 241
  4. ^ Francine R. Frankel, M. S. A. RaoDominance and State Power in Modern India: Decline of a Social Order, Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, 1989. p. 88
  5. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 2. March 1956. p. 6
  6. ^ a b Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 3. April 1956. p. 20
  7. ^ a b Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 6. July 1956. pp. 19, 22
  8. ^ a b c d Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 7. August 1956. pp. 20-22
  9. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 8. September 1956. p. 10
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference reco-19-22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b c Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 9. October 1956. pp. 18, 20, 22
  12. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 10. November 1956. p. 1
  13. ^ Indian Affairs Record. Vol. II, No. 12. January 1957. p. 15
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference reco-12-11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ https://books.google.at/books?id=cvIhAQAAIAAJ
  16. ^ Nanak Chand Mehrotra. The Socialist Movement in India. Sangam Books, 1995. p. 185
  17. ^ a b R. V. Krishna Ayyar. All India Election Guide. Oriental Publishers, 1956. pp. 62-63
  18. ^ Suratha Kumar Malik, Ankit Tomar. Revisiting Modern Indian Thought: Themes and Perspectives. Taylor & Francis, 2021
  19. ^ Sebastian Raj Pender. The 1857 Indian Uprising and the Politics of Commemoration. Cambridge University Press, 2022. p. 179
  20. ^ Communist Youth Fronts in India, in Janata, June 14, 1959. p. 12