44

Chapter - 2

EXPERIMENT IN COALITION POLITICS

The decade of 1960s was watershed in the history of Indian

Politics. It saw the transition from a single-party system to the

emergence of the Regional parties based upon the system of alliances

and coalitions. In 1967, the fourth General Election in India saw the

power slipping out of the hands of Congress party after remaining in

saddle for 20 years in many States of the country. The decades of

1960's and 1970's gave rise to the experiment of alliances and

coalitional politics with different regional parties asserting themselves

in various States. The coalition politics at its infancy faced teething

problems of defections and counter-defections engineered by the

single largest party at the strong Centre. This system of alliances and

coalitions was perfected with the legislations such as Anti-Defection

Act of 1985 in place. Gradually, it matured to see the reality of the day

in the last decade of the 20th Century and in the 21st Century.

In February 1967, India‟s fourth General Election was held and

although Congress remained in power, the results were dismaying.

Congress lost 95 seats, winning only 282 out of a house of 520,

45

leaving it with a precarious overall majority of 44. It also lost its

majority in seven States.50

1. On 5 March 1967, the first non-congress Government headed by

Mr. Mahamaya Prasad Sinha of Jana-Kranti Dal was sworn in

Bihar, which included 11 Ministers and 3 Ministers of State,

which gave strength to United Front's claim in Punjab.

2. A 13-member United Front Ministry, headed by Mr. E.M.S

Namboodiripad, CPI-Marxist leader was installed in Kerala.

3. The 9-man Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Ministry, headed by Mr.

C.N. Annadurai was installed in Madras.

4. The United Front Government headed by Mr. Ajoy Mukherjee was

sworn in West Bengal.

5. The First Swatantra led Ministry in the country was installed in

Orissa. It included the 15-member Ministerial Council, headed by

Mr. R.N. Singh Deo.

6. In Punjab, on 8 March 1967.

7. On 24 March 1967, the 16 member Samyukta Dal Ministry,

headed by Rao Birendra Singh was sworn in, it being the first

non-congress Ministry in Haryana, the seventh in the country.51

50 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, HarperCollins

Publishers, London, 2001, p.304. 51 The Times, London headlines read : „After the broken nose, a slap in the face.‟

46

As the human beings require some time to adapt themselves to

the new environment, so is the case with institutions and

organizations. In India, till the mid 1960's, the Congress Party had

become so habituated to rule and the opposition parties so

accustomed to oppose that they were not finding it easy to fit

themselves to the radically different situation created by the results of

the fourth General Election in 1967. The loss of power in many States

had left Congressmen there stunned and dazed and, like Othello, they

felt they had lost their occupation. This sense of loss and bereavement

was not unnatural in these circumstances. However, change is the law

of nature, it had to come one time or another.

In Punjab, for the February 1967, General Election and Punjab

Assembly Elections, there were 13 Parliamentary seats namely 1)

Fazilka, 2) Ferozepur, 3) Tarn Taran, 4) Amritsar, 5) Gurdaspur, 6)

Hoshiarpur, 7) Jalandhar, 8) Phillaur (S.C.), 9) Ludhiana, 10) Ropar

(S.C.), 11) Patiala, 12) Sangrur, 13) Bhatinda (S.C.) and 104 assembly

seats from Punjab.52

On 15 January 1967, the Sant Group and the Punjab

Communist Party (Right) agreed on a nine-point programme on the

basis of which a United Front was to be formed. The United front was

expected to include the Communist Party (Marxist), the Republican

52 Statistical Abstract of Punjab-1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh.

47

party, the SSP and progressive individuals. In the 1967 election

manifesto, the Akali Dal laid emphasis on economic development „to

make Punjab a model State which would be an object of envy for

others.‟53

53 Sade Chon Manorath, Shiromani Akali Dal, Amritsar,1967.

48

Figure - 2 : Punjab Parliamentary and Vidhan Sabha

Constituencies 1967

49

In Patiala Parliamentary seat, the number of assembly seats

were increased from 7 to 9. The two new constituencies added were

Dakala and Banur. In 1962 election, the Congress had bagged all the

seven assembly seats as well as the Parliamentary seat of Patiala. In

1967, the Congress contested eight of the nine Assembly

constituencies and did not put up any candidate in Dakala where

Maharaja of Patiala was contesting as an Independent. Two exceptions

in Patiala were, Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala, sitting MLA from Sirhind

was shifted to Payal constituency in Ludhiana District and Mr. Jasdev

Singh Sandhu, sitting MLA from Raipur was denied the party ticket.

In Sangrur parliamentary seat, Mr. Ranjit Singh, a Congress

M.P and a Mill Magnate was caught in an awkward election contest for

Sangrur Seat, against his daughter-in-law, Bibi Nirlep Kaur, daughter

of Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala, Agriculture Minister of Punjab. In

Sangrur Parliamentary Seat, there were 9 assembly seats including 2

reserved seats, they were: 1) Sangrur, 2) Lehra, 3) Sunam, 4) Dhuri, 5)

Malerkotla, 6) Barnala, 7) Sherpur (R), 8) Bhadaur (R), 9) Dhanuala.

In Gurdaspur Parliamentary Constituency, Prof. D.C. Sharma

was seeking re-election and in Amritsar Parliamentary constituency,

Mr. Surjit Singh Majithia was seeking re-election.

On 19 February 1967, about 63 Lakhs people casted their votes

to elect the 104 members of state Vidhan Sabha and the 13 members

of the Lok Sabha from Punjab.54 For the Lok Sabha, the Congress had

54 The Tribune, 20 February 1967.

50

put up candidates for all the 13 seats, the Jan Sangh for eight, the

CPM for two, the CPI for two, the S.S.P. for one, the Master Akali Dal

for seven, the Sant Akali Dal for eight, the Swatantra Party for six and

R.P.I. for two, while there were 25 independents in the field. For the

Vidhan Sabha, the Congress contested 102, the Jan Sangh 49, the

S.S.P., the P.S.P., and the Swatantra Party eight each, the R.P.I. 17,

the Master Akali Dal 61 and the Sant Akali Dal 58 seats.55

Some of the major upsets in the 1967 Elections were:

In Kharar, a new constituency, Baldev Singh of Akali-Sant

defeated Niranjan Singh Talib, PWD Minister of Congress. In

Dhanaula, Hardit Singh of Left-CPI, defeated Baba Hira Singh Bhathal

of Congress.In Sirhind, Joginder Singh Mann of Akali-Master Group

defeated Bhupinder Singh of Congress. In 1962, Mr. Gian Singh

Rarewala won this seat as a Congress candidate who in 1967 was

shifted to Payal. In Dakala, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala was

declared elected as a Independent with more than 25,000 votes. In

Barnala, Surjit Singh of Akali Sant Group defeated Ranjit Singh of

Congress.

The Speaker, Mr. Harbans Lal lost his seat and so did the Food

Minister, Mr. Yash from Jalandhar South who lost his seat to

Manmohan Kalia of Jan Sangh. However, the Congress suffered its

biggest loss in the 1967 elections in the defeat of the Chief Minister,

Mr. Gurmukh Singh Musafir, by a communist Satyapal Dang in

55 Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh.

51

Amritsar West Constituency. The Congress lost many important

members, Mr. Ajmer Singh former Minister, Giani Kartar Singh, Mr.

Harchand Singh, Dr. Parkash Kaur, Deputy Ministers and Minister

Gurbanta Singh in Kartarpur was defeated by a Republican candidate

Piara Ram. Lachhman Singh Akali-Sant from Dharamkot, Lambi

constituency was a reserve constituency and Shiv Chand of Congress

was elected. In Gidderbaha, Harcharan Singh Brar of Congress

defeated Parkash Singh Badal of Akali-Sant. In 1962, Mr. Brar was

elected from Muktsar which was a reserve constituency in 1967 i.e.

why Mr. Brar had shifted to Gidderbaha.

However, the Irrigation and Power Minister Mr. Darbara Singh

from Nurmahal, the Health Minister Mr. Brish Bhan from Lehra, the

Finance Minister Mr. Mohan Lal, the Agricultural Minister Mr. Gian

Singh Rarewala, the Development Minister Mr. Prabodh Chandra were

returned.

In 1967, Congress failed to secure an absolute majority,

although it emerged as the single majority party with 48 seats. The

distribution of the remaining 56 seats were56

Akali Dal (Sant) = 24

Akali Dal (Master) = 02

Jan Sangh = 09

Independents = 09

C.P.I.(Right Communists) = 05

C.P.M.(Left Communists) = 03

56 The Tribune, 15-16 February 1967.

52

SSP = 01

The Republicans = 03

56 57

(in Numbers)

48

24

9

1 2

812

0

20

40

60

80C

ON

GR

ESS

AK

ALI

(S)

JAN

SA

NG

H

S S

P

AK

ALI

(M

)

CO

MM

UN

IST

OTH

ERS

TOTAL SEATS - 104

Figure - 3 : Punjab Assembly-1967

The division of the seats among the different political parties

had been such that the chances of a stable Government seemed quite

bleak unless the Congress entered into a coalition with one party or

the other, which in itself was a difficult affair.

57 Statistical Abstract of Punjab -1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh.

53

One of the important victory of the left communists was that of

Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjit, Secretary, Punjab Communist Party

(Marxists). He was twice defeated - in 1957 and 1962 by the Irrigation

Minister, Mr. Darbara Singh. In 1967 election, the old battle-field - the

Nurmahal Constituency - was delimited and two constituencies -

Nurmahal and Bara Pind were made. Mr. Surjit was returned from

Bara Pind.

Table -358

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Elections - 1967

(Total Seats - 104)

Party Name Seats

Contested

Seats

Won

Vote

Share

Percentage of

Seats won

Congress 102 48 37.42 46.15

Akali Dal (Sant) 58 24 20.49 23.08

Akali Dal (Master) 62 02 4.56 1.92

Jan Sangh 49 09 9.36 8.65

CPI 19 05 4.85 4.81

CPI (M) 13 03 3.27 2.89

Republican Party 17 03 2.16 2.89

Swatantra Party 10 - 0.50 -

PSP 09 - 0.51 -

SSP 08 01 0.72 0.96

58 Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh.

54

Independents 96 09 16.06 8.65

In 1967, in Fourth General Elections, the Congress in Punjab fared

better in the Parliamentary than in the Assembly Constituencies,

having secured 9 out of 13 Lok Sabha seats.

Table - 459

Party Performance in Lok Sabha Elections in Punjab - 1967

(Total Seats - 13)

Political Party Seats

Contested Seats Won

Percentage of

Votes

Congress 13 09 37.31

Akali Dal (Sant) 08 03 22.61

Akali Dal (Master) 07 - 4.42

Jan Sangh 08 01 12.48

CPI 02 - 4.28

CPI (M) 02 - 1.89

Independent and

Others

33 - 17.01

In 1962, the Congress has won 10 seats out of 13 Lok Sabha

Seats. In 1967, the percentage of seats dropped from 76.9 to 69.2

percent but the performance was better than the Assembly seats,

where the Congress could win only 46.15 percent of seats. The Akali

59 Election Commission of India, New Delhi.

55

Dal retained its strength of 3, the same as in 1962 Lok Sabha

elections while Jan Sangh for the first time got representation in Lok

Sabha from Punjab.60 In the Parliamentary seats of,

1. Amritsar - Surjit Singh Majithia, sitting MP was defeated by Mr.

Yagya Dutt Sharma. The Jan Sangh got the Amritsar Seat by

ousting the Congress from Amritsar which it had represented

since 1952, thus winning the lone seat from Punjab.

2. Jalandhar- Swaran Singh of Congress was returned.

3. Ferozepur- Sohan Singh of Akali-Sant was elected.

4. Fazilka- Congress

5. Phillaur(R)- Sadhu Ram of Congress was returned

6. Ropar(R)- Congress

7. Ludhiana- Congress

8. Bhatinda(R) - Kikar Singh (Akali-Sant), driver of Sant Fateh

Singh was elected. He defeated two sitting members of Lok

Sabha, Mr. Daljit Singh (Congress) and Mr. Dhanna Singh

Gulshan (Akali-Master) by an overwhelming majority.

9. Sangrur - Mrs. Nirlep Kaur, daughter of Mr. Gian Singh

Rarewala, Agriculture Minister, fighting on Akali (Sant) Ticket,

defeated her father-in-law, Mr. Ranjit Singh, a Congress

candidate.

10. Tarn Taran- Gurdial Singh Dhillon of Congress returned.

60 The Tribune, 25 February 1967.

56

11. Patiala- Maharani Mohinder Kaur of Congress returned.

12. Gurdaspur – Diwan Chand Sharma of Congress returned.

13. Hoshiarpur - Mr. Ram Kishan of Congress returned.61

In the smashing and spectacular victory in Madras, the DMK

obtained absolute majority in 234 member Assembly. Thus, in the

South, Kerala and Madras slipped out of Congress's hand. In the

North, the Congress failed to obtain an absolute majority in Punjab

and Rajasthan. The situation remained fluid in West Bengal. In all 9

Union Ministers were defeated such as Finance Minister Sachindra

Chaudhuri, Works and Housing Minister, Mehar Chand Khanna. K.

Kamaraj lost his parliamentary seat to a twenty six year old student

leader of the regional D.M.K Party in Madras.62 This was the first time

in the post-independence history of the INC that its monopoly of

power had been shaken in the country.

In 1962, out of 87 seats, the Congress had won only 50 seats,

which gives a percentage of 57.47% only. Later, the strength of the

Congress in the Assembly increased with opposition members joining

the Congress, thus raising the strength to 57. In 1967, in a new 104-

member Assembly, Congress got 48 member strength, thus a drop

was witnessed. In 1967, the Jan Sangh improved both its strength

and its poll percentage. Its strength has risen from 4 members in

outgoing Assembly to 9 members in the new one. In 1962, the Akali

61 Statistical Abstract of Punjab-1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh. 62 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, p.305.

57

Dal when there was no rift had won 19 seats with 20 percent votes.

And in 1967, the Sant Akali Dal alone had won 24 seats with 20.49

percent votes. The Master Akali Dal was virtually routed winning only

2 seats, both in Patiala district.63 The Communists, both groups

together, however, failed to retain their strength, they had in the

outgoing Assembly.64

There were indications by Mrs. Indira Gandhi that the Congress

party in Punjab will form the Government. The Congress party had a

strength of 48 in the House of 104. It required 5 more members to

have an absolute majority which they could achieve with the help of

Independents. On the contrary, the Akalis and the Jan Sangh agreed

on a Common Programme so as to provide clean and good

administration to the people; checking of rise in prices and to make

Punjab a strong and prosperous state.

On 1 March 1967, with a view to forming an opposition

Government in Punjab, a United Front of opposition parties was

formed. A decision on the complete Accord was reached at a meeting

of top leaders of Sant Akali Dal and the Jan Sangh, which was

attended among others by Mr. Gurnam Singh, Mr. Lachhman Singh

Gill, Mr. Mohinder Singh, Mr. Yagya Dutt, Secretary of the All India

Jan Sangh, Dr. Baldev Prakash, President of the Punjab Jan Sangh,

whereas old and new Congress legislators of Punjab had discussions

63 Statistical Abstract of Punjab- 1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh. 64 The Tribune, 25-26 February,1967.

58

with Mr. Swaran Singh, Defence Minister, on the election of the leader

of the Congress legislature party. The Defence Minister had actively

worked for the party leader twice before, once when Mr. Ram Kishan

was chosen and again when his successor, Mr. Gurmukh Singh

Musafir was selected.65

As the Punjab Congress Legislature Party was vacillating on the

issue of leadership of the Congress Party, three significant

developments brightened the chances of the installation of a

Government by combined opposition parties. First, the Independents

who held the balance of power between the even strength of the

Congress and the combination of all Opposition parties, decided to

support first the opposition bid to make the Government. Second, the

Akalis-Sant had secured the blessing of Sant Fateh Singh in their

efforts to form a United Front of Opposition and form the Government.

Thirdly, the President of the Punjab unit of the Republican Party, Mr.

Gurcharan Singh, M.L.A. had repudiated the claims of the then PPCC

Chief, Giani Zail Singh, that the three Republican MLAs, had agreed

to support the Congress in forming the Ministry.

On 4 March 1967, seven opposition parties of Punjab with a

joint strength of 47 legislators in the 104 member new Punjab Vidhan

Sabha joined hands and formed a People's United Front to set up a

non-Congress Ministry in Punjab. People's United Front claimed the

support of 6 Independents, thereby bringing their strength to 53. Mr.

65 The Tribune, 2 March 1967.

59

Gurnam Singh, former leader of the Akali Party in the Punjab Vidhan

Sabha, was unanimously elected leader of the Front.66 Mr. Gurnam

Singh disclosed that the 11-point programme of the Front had been

formulated. The opposition parties which came together were the Akali

Dal (Sant Group), the Jan Sangh, the Communist Party (Right), the

Communist Party (Left), the Republican Party, the Akali Dal (Master

Tara Singh Group) and the Samyukta Socialist Party.67

On 6 March, Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala, Agriculture Minister,

was unanimously elected leader of the Punjab Congress Legislature

Party. There was bickering among groups, where Giani Zail Singh and

his supporters were behind the elevation of Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala

but the Musafir Group were opposed to him and were supporting

either Mr. Brish Bhan or General Mohan Singh of the INA.68

To clarify any doubts and complication, Mr. Gurnam Singh

presented to the Governor the leaders of all the eight political parties

constituting the Front and six independents. Mr. Gurnam Singh was

accompanied by Mr. Lachhman Singh Gill (Akali-Sant), Dr. Baldev

Parkash (Jan Sangh), Mr. Joginder Singh Mann (Akali-Master), Mr.

Harkishan Singh Surjeet (C.P.M), Mr. Satpal Dang (C.P.I.), Dr. Jagjit

Singh (R.P.I.) and Mr. Balbir Singh (S.S.P.). The Independents who

have formed the party of Democrats were Mr. Rajinder Singh

"Sparrow" (Jalandhar Cantonment), Mr. Darbara Singh (Nakodar), Mr.

66 The Tribune, 4-5 March 1967. 67 Statistical Abstract of Punjab-1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh. 68 The Tribune, 7 March 1967.

60

Bhajan Lal (Samana), Mr. Ram Parkash Dass (Dasuya), Mr. Faqir

Chand (Bhatinda) and Mr. Bishamber Nath (Mukerian). The Congress

saw the power slipping out of their hand after remaining in office for

20 years. The eight-party coalition were launched into office with a

precious majority of only two. It had a strength of 53 in a House of

104. The Congress had 48 members and three Independents- the

Maharaja of Patiala, Mr. Narinder Singh of Nabha and Mr. Bakhtawar

Singh of Guru Harsahai.69

On 8 March 1967, a five-member Ministry, headed by Mr.

Gurnam Singh, leader of the People's United Front, was sworn in at 5

PM, ushering in the first non-congress Government in Punjab. The

Governor, Mr. Dharma Vira administered the Oath of Office and

secrecy first to Mr. Gurnam Singh, Chief Minister and then in order of

precedence to Dr. Baldev Prakash, Mr. Lachhman Singh Gill, Mr.

Rajinder Singh and Mr. Piara Ram. Mr. Gurnam Singh and Mr.

Rajinder Singh took the oath in English, Dr. Baldev Prakash in Hindi

and the other two in Punjabi. Among the Congressmen, the swearing-

in ceremony was attended by former Chief Minister, Mr. Gurmukh

Singh Musafir, Mr. Brish Bhan and Mr. Prabodh Chandra. Mr.

Gurnam Singh, the leader of United Front Government and the First

Non-Congress Chief Minister graduated from the Forman Christian

College, Lahore and obtained his degree of Law from London. He

69 Statistical Abstract of Punjab-1967, The Economic Adviser to Government,

Punjab, Chandigarh.

61

entered politics after his retirement as a Judge of the Punjab High

Court. In 1962, he was elected to the Punjab Assembly on Akali ticket

from the Raikot Constituency. In 1967, he was elected to the Punjab

Assembly from Qila Raipur on Akali-Sant ticket.70

Historically, the first non-Congress government of a United

Front alliance was formed after the first general elections in PEPSU in

1952. Then headed by Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala, the United Front was

composed of Akalis, Jan Sangh, K.M.P.P, Scheduled Castes Federation

and some Independents. The Akalis and the Jan Sangh, therefore

were not cooperating for the first time in 1967. In 1952, in PEPSU also

the communists kept out of the Government but promised it their

support from outside. The PEPSU Ministry lasted for nearly a year

when it collapsed with the invalidation of the election of nine members

of the Assembly, including that of the Chief Minister and two

Ministers. Whether, but for this, it would have lasted much longer is

only a moot point. Even for the time it lasted, its life was not a happy

one. That the life of the coalition in 1967 should be happier and

longer, would be the natural wish of most people at that time.

Naturally and rightly so, the Congress had predicted a

premature grave for the experiment of coalition politics in its infancy

because it would engineer such an action. The P.P.C.C. President

70 The Tribune, 9 March 1967.

62

Giani Zail Singh seemed so sure when he stated that, "ultimately the

Congress will have to form the Government in Punjab".71

Prior to 1967, the Akali Dal had been a fertile recruiting ground

for the Congress. The power which the Congress enjoyed was the

magnet, and it accounted for the political mobility of the Akali leaders.

Such a type of composite Ministry of this kind that is launched on a

minimum programme can only offer minimum government. It will be

in the saddle without the spurs. To do the maximum good with the

minimum government is always a challenge for the coalition

Government and its leader, as was the case with United Front and its

leader, Mr. Gurnam Singh in 1967. In a coalition, no party can

admittedly have all its programmes put through, and all parties will

have to balance their inconveniences. There is also no need to feel

shamefaced about it. The French saying about small reforms being the

worst enemies of great reforms is more a formula of social breakdown

than of social reconstruction. The large number of interests and

groups represented in the coalition does not necessarily mean an

increased intensity of conflict within the coalition.

In 1967, at the Centre, the issue of leadership was settled with

Mrs. Indira Gandhi emerging as the unanimously elected Prime

Minister and Mr. Morarji Desai as the Deputy Prime Minister. When

both sides seemed set for a public trial of strength, then the collective

71 The Tribune, 8 March 1967.

63

intervention of four powerful State leaders- D.P. Mishra of Madhya

Pradesh, C.B. Gupta of U.P., Brahmananda Reddy of Andhra and

Nijalingappa of Mysore- who controlled between them 178 of the 435

members of the Congress Parliamentary Party, strengthened

Kamaraj‟s hand and enabled him to impose a compromise formula.72

On 13 March 1967, 33-Member Ministry was sworn in at a simple

ceremony, marking the culmination of the fourth General Election.

Mrs. Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister, but with the prickly and

ambitious, Mr. Morarji Desai elevated to Deputy Prime Minister with

important portfolio of Finance.

In order to assert her independence and to demonstrate that

her authority would remain „unfettered‟, Indira chose her cabinet

without consulting either Desai or Kamaraj. Her supporters and allies

were given key posts: Y.B. Chavan( Home), the Harijan leader,

Jagjivan Ram (Food and Agriculture), Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad

(Industrial Development), Dinesh Singh(Commerce).73She also stated

publicly that the post of deputy Prime Minister did not imply „any

duality of authority‟, and reported that Desai had pledged „full and

unqualified support‟ to her.74

Indira Gandhi dispensed with the system of ranking Cabinet

members. Henceforth, she would rely on simple alphabetical order

rendering cabinet positions meaningless as indicators of future power 72 Zareer Masani, Indira Gandhi, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, London, 1975, pp.174-175. 73 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, p.306. 74 Kuldip Nayar, Between the Lines, Allied Publishers, Bombay, 1969,p.28.

64

line-ups.75 The only leader whom Mrs. Gandhi is believed to have

taken into confidence was Y.B. Chavan.76 Thus, Y.B. Chavan, Swaran

Singh, M.C. Chagla retained their old portfolios of Home, Defence and

External Affairs. Imparting a new look to the Indira Cabinet were the

eminent educationist, Dr. Triguna Sen, a member of the Education

Commission, who got Education. Also included in the Cabinet were

Maharaja Karan Singh, the Governor of Kashmir who got Tourism and

Civil Aviation77 and K.K. Shah, both believed to be loyal supporters of

the Prime Minister.78

The issue of corruption is an age old issue which also came up

when Justice Gurnam Singh took over as Chief Minister in 1967. Mr.

Gurnam Singh enlisted the first step of his Government as the

eradication of corruption and he justified why he had given a high

place to the removal of corruption in its programme of action as he

said that he see corruption everywhere, so he exhorted the outgoing

Chief Minister, Musafir and his political rivals to admit it and make

efforts to remove it from public domain, instead of hide it.

In Punjab, the first trial of strength between the United Front

and the Congress was on the issue of the election of the Speaker of

the Vidhan Sabha. The Punjab Congress Legislature Party decided to

contest the election of the Speaker. On 21 March 1967 the

75 Nayantara Sahgal, Indira Gandhi : Her Road To Power, Frederick Ungar,New

York, 1982, p.12. 76 Zareer Masani, Indira Gandhi, p.175. 77 The Tribune, 14 March 1967. 78 Zareer Masani, Indira Gandhi, p.176.

65

Coordination Committee of the Front decided to set up Mr. Lal Chand

Saberwal (Jan Sangh) as their nominee for Speakership. Despite

Front's decision to set up Mr. Saberwal, the Maharaja of Patiala, an

independent member tried to persuade the Front to adopt Mr.

Joginder Singh Mann (Akali Master) in place of Mr. Saberwal.

On 21 March 1967, United Front survived the trial of strength

as Mr. Joginder Singh Mann, the official nominee of the ruling

People's United Front was elected Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan

Sabha by 32 votes to 25. While, inaugurating the newly elected

Punjab Assembly, the Governor, Mr. Dharma Vira declared that the

upper house, the Punjab Legislative Council would be abolished as a

measure of economy.79

On 27 March 1967, the people's United Front's candidate, Dr.

Jagjit Singh was elected Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

He was elected to the Assembly from the Tanda Constituency on the

Republican ticket. Dr. Jagjit Singh had unsuccessfully contested the

speakership election on 21 March against the Front's Official

Nominee, Mr. J.S. Mann. The Congress had then supported Dr. Jagjit

Singh.80

On 4 April 1967, the Punjab Cabinet was expanded by the

addition of 5 new members of which, Mr. Sat Pal Dang, CPI was the

first to be sworn in as Minister. He was followed by four Deputy

79 Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Reports, 31 March 1967. 80 Ibid.

66

Ministers, in the order of precedence were, Mr. Bishambar Nath

Makkar, an Independent from Mukerian, Mr. Darbara Singh, an

Independent from Nakodar, Mr. Faqir Chand, an Independent from

Bhatinda and Mr. Satnam Singh Bajwa, a Congress legislator from

Qadian, who switched sides to United Front.81

On 5 April 1967, the 29-day old United Front Government was

defeated in the State Vidhan Sabha when the 104-member House

accepted an Opposition amendment to the motion of thanks to the

Governor by 53 votes to 49. This happened when the leader of the

Opposition, Mr. Gian Singh Rarewala, mover of the amendment,

demanded at the conclusion of the three-day general debate on the

Governor's Address that the House be divided on his amendment. The

Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh did not take the vote as a defeat of

the Government and said that he would seek a vote of confidence of

the House.82

On 6 April 1967, the Chief Minister moved the motion for sine

die adjournment, after the re-assembly of the House following

pandemonium. The Speaker immediately swung into action and put it

to vote amidst continuous desk thumping by the Congress members.

As a result Congress did not participate in the voting and the Treasury

Benches in a loud outburst said "aye" to the motion and the Punjab

Assembly was adjourned sine die.

81 The Tribune, 5 April 1967. 82 The Tribune, 6 April 1967.

67

The defeat of Mr. Gurnam Singh's ministry on 5 April 1967 was

a notice to it to quit. But if Mr. Gurnam Singh was not prepared to

treat 5 April's defeat as a vote of no confidence, he had only one

course left. The Cabinet had at all times in the past and in the present

the privilege of demonstrating, by proposing a vote of confidence, its

control of a majority. This was infact, what Mr. Gurnam Singh said he

would do to clear the confusion. If he were so confident of the

confidence of the majority, he need not have resorted to the shabby

expedient of adjourning the House sine die. He could have straight

away sought a confidence vote and vindicated his claim. On the other

hand, if the Opposition was sure of its majority it could have moved a

vote of no-confidence against the Government and defeated it

convincingly. Evidently, it was not prepared to risk such a step and

hence its insistence that the Government must go on the basis of its

earlier defeat. Thus, on the one side was the government which was

afraid to ask for a vote of confidence and on the other side was an

Opposition which was afraid to move a vote of no-confidence. This was

basically a fraud on the Constitution.

The Punjab Governor, Mr. Dharma Vira was reluctant to

dismiss the Gurnam Singh ministry and was inclined to ask either the

Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh, to seek a vote of confidence or the

leader of Opposition, Mr. Rarewala, to move a vote of No-confidence

against the United Front Government.

68

The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh announced that

the Punjab Vidhan Sabha which was adjourned sine die on 6 April,

would be re-convened on 5 May 1967. Sant Fateh Singh, President of

the Shiromani Akali Dal extended an invitation to Mr. Gian Singh

Rarewala, Mr. Mohan Singh, Jathedar Mohan Singh Nagoke and Amar

Singh Dosanjh to join the Akali Dal. He welcomed the decision of

Giani Kartar Singh and his associates to join the Akali Dal. He also

assured that Congress party would suffer a crushing defeat in the

Punjab Assembly Session on 5 May 1967 thus building up the tempo

for clash.

Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala was very forthright in

declaring that he and his supporters in Punjab Vidhan Sabha would

support the United Front Government in case the Congress opposition

chose to table a no-confidence motion. The Maharaja who as an

independent member of the house sided with the opposition on the

latter's amendment to the Governor's Address on 5 April, only because

of his passion for the Punjabi language.

On 4 May 1967, Five more Punjab Ministers were sworn in,

thus raising the strength from 11 to 16. They were in order of

precedence, Mr. Balwant Singh, Mr. Baloo Ram, Mr. Gurmeet Singh,

Mr. Jagtar Singh and Mr. Shiv Chand. All the five new entrants in the

United Front have defected from the Congress, thus including Satnam

Singh Bajwa, the total number of Congress deserters were raised to 6.

69

Immediately, the Punjab Congress legislature Party expelled for 6

years all the six members who defected from the party and joined the

United Front.83 Mr. Gurnam Singh, Chief Minister said on further

Cabinet expansion that there cannot be any finality in this matter

thereby indicating that the horse trading would go on unabated.

On 5 May 1967, the first day of the Budget session, Mr. Baldev

Singh, who defected from the United Front to the Congress on 15 April

1967 and who voted with the Congress on 5 April 1967 was beaten on

the ramp of the Vidhan Sabha, and he entered the House without his

turban which was snatched by those who had beaten him. It was

alleged that Lachhman Singh Gill, Education Minister was behind the

attack. There was verbal dual witnessed between Mr. Gurcharan

Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Mr. Prabodh Chandra in the

Assembly.84

What happened in and around the Punjab Assembly on 5 May

1967 was disgraceful and disgusting to the core. The art of free

government by free discussion was the most rewarding of all the acts

of any civilized people. By kicking it in the shin and knifing it is the

back, the politicians were taking the people back to the age of

barbarians.

The United Front Ministry fell after a period of eight months on

22 November 1967 as a sequel to the defection by Gill and 16 others.

83 The Tribune, 5 May 1967. 84 Ibid.

70

It was followed by Lachhman Singh Gill Ministry. Lachhman Singh

Gill formed a minority government on 25 November 1967, and gave

ministerial posts to all the defectors.85 which remained for 9 months

in office till 23 August 196886 when Congress withdrew support from

the Government and President's rule was imposed in the new Punjab,

within two years of its formation.87 No party being in majority, the

Centre decided to place the State under the President‟s rule on 23

August, dissolving the Legislative Assembly.88

On 11 February 1969, Akali Dal won 43 seats to Punjab

Assembly in the mid-term poll, which were 5 more than the Congress

and secured 29.5 percent votes for the first time.89 (Table 5) In the

other mid-term polls, on 12 February 1969, U.F. was swept into power

in the West Bengal and in U.P. and Bihar, Congress party failed to get

absolute majority in the mid-term poll.90

Table - 591

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Elections : 1969

(Total Seats : 104)

85 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, Har Anand Publications, New Delhi,

1997, p.109. 86 The Tribune, 23 November 1967. 87 J.S. Grewal, The New Cambridge History of India ii.3, The Sikhs of the Punjab,

Cambridge University Press, New Delhi, 1994, p.207. 88 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, p.110. 89 Anup Chand Kapur, The Punjab Crisis : An Analytical Study, S. Chand and

Company Ltd., New Delhi, 1985, p.184. 90 The Tribune, 12-13 February, 1969. 91 Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Chandigarh.

71

Party Name

Seats

Contested

Seats

Won

Vote

Share

Percentage

of Seats

Congress 103 38 39.38 36.54

Akali Dal 65 43 29.59 41.35

Jan Sangh 30 08 8.84 7.69

CPI 28 04 4.54 3.85

CPI (M) 10 02 3.10 1.92

SSP 07 02 0.84 1.92

PSP 03 01 0.51 0.96

Swatantra 06 01 0.41 0.96

Janata 14 01 1.41 0.96

Independents/

others 182 04 9.87 3.85

Thus, on 17 February 1969, Akali-Jan Sangh coalition ministry

was sworn in with Mr. Gurnam Singh as Chief Minister. The

important highlights of the ministry were that on 13 April 1969,

fiftieth anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was observed by

the State Government. On 2 July 1969, three-language formula was

introduced in Punjab.

The advocates of Sikh Homeland took up the issue of

Chandigarh. Jathedar Darshan Singh Pheruman went on fast unto

death on 15 August 1969 on this issue. On 8 October 1969, Punjab

72

legislators began dharna to back Punjab's demand for Chandigarh in

Delhi and on 17 October, there was massive march in support of

Punjab's demand for Chandigarh. The climax was reached on 27

October 1969, when Mr. Darshan Singh Pheruman passed away on

the 74th day of his fast.92 On 23 November 1969, Quincentenary birth

celebration of Guru Nanak was observed, which was marked by great

religious fervor. On 24 December 1969, Parliament took two historic

decisions when it sets its seal of approval to the formation of

Meghalaya within the State of Assam. And, secondly, Parliament

passed the Bill to abolish Punjab Legislative Council.

On the question of abolition of the Punjab Legistative Council

(Vidhan Parishad), the differences between Sant Fateh Singh and

Chief Minister Gurnam Singh appeared for the first time. Gurnam

Singh wanted its immediate abolition, whereas Sant Fateh Singh was

in favour of its retention. D.C. Pavate, who was then Governor of

Punjab, noted that the Chief Minister prevailed upon the Prime

Minister “to push the abolition of the Council through Parliament

speedily.”93

At the Centre, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Deputy P.M.

Desai came into conflict on a series of issues such as the continuation

of English as the official language, but the greatest area of contention

was the nationalization of commercial banks, which Desai vehemently 92 Khushwant Singh, A History of the Sikhs, Volume ii, Second Edition,Oxford

University Press, 1999, p.313. 93 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, p.104.

73

opposed and Indira‟s left wing followers supported. On 16 July 1969,

she „relieved‟ Desai of the Finance portfolio and four days later Indira

nationalized fourteen commercial banks by Presidential Ordinance,

even though Parliament was shortly due to convene. Bank

nationalization was a populist move and predictably it was greeted

with public euphoria: „Low-paid government and other employees, taxi

and auto-rickshaw drivers…who had never seen the interior of a

bank…..danced in the streets…………‟94It also endeared Indira to the

Communist Party of India (CPI).

On the issue of the Presidential election, Indira signed Reddy‟s

presidential nomination papers and thus he became the official

Congress Party candidate, but she did not issue a whip instructing

Congress legislators to vote for Reddy. Finally on 20 August 1969, the

Presidential election results were announced. VV Giri, the former Vice-

President – not Reddy- won, but narrowly and with the help of various

opposition groups such as the Communists, the Sikh party, the Akali

Dal, and the regional D.M.K Party of Tamil Nadu. As one observer put

it, „Giri won……..but it was difficult to say that Sanjiva Reddy lost.‟95

The differences between the Syndicate led by Kamaraj and

Indira Gandhi widened and split seemed imminent. On 12 November

1969, the Syndicate held an inquisition: Indira Gandhi was tried in

absentia and found guilty of indiscipline and defiance of party 94 Inder Malhotra,Indira Gandhi, Hodder, London, 1989, p.119. 95 P.V.Narasimha Rao,The Insider, Viking/Penguin Books India, New Delhi, 1998,

p.599.

74

leadership. The next day Congress President Nijalingappa announced

that Indira had been expelled from the party. Intense lobbying

followed in order to ascertain who would hold onto the majority of the

Congress. Describing this period, Narasimha Rao said, „Indira

Gandhi………..constituted a dangerous choice, albeit a compelling

one.‟96 Predictably, Indira won, with a total of 297 Congress MPs, 220

of them from the Lok Sabha.97

Thus, the „Great Split‟ of Congress in 1969 marked a milestone

in Indira‟s development as well as Indian political history.98 It had

repercussions on Punjab Congress as well. Giani Zail Singh, Punjab

Pradesh Congress President commented on this split, „I expressed

great unhappiness over this development and pledged my firm

support to Mrs. Gandhi.‟99 On 1 November 1969, Giani Zail Singh had

met her in Delhi to reassure her of complete following of the Punjab

Congress in her hour of trial. Due to his „unqualified support‟ to Mrs.

Gandhi, he, like Kamlapathi Tripathi and A.P. Sharma, State Congress

Presidents were expelled by the Syndicate.100

On 2 January 1970, the 17 member Akali-Jan Sangh Coalition

Ministry was expanded by the inclusion of Mr. Radha Krishan, who

96 P.V.Narasimha Rao,The Insider, p.610 97 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, p.317. 98 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, p.318. 99 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, Har Anand Publications, New

Delhi,1997, p.113. 100 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, pp.113-114.

75

had defected from the Congress to the Akali Dal. Mr. Radha Krishan

represented the Fazilka constituency.

On the issue of Chandigarh, the Union Government was trying

to find a formula which was acceptable to both the States and leave

the least amount of bitterness among the parties concerned. Both the

Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh and Mr. Bansi Lal,

Haryana's Chief Minister stuck to their respective claims on the city of

Chandigarh. The Centre had proposed the division of the City between

Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40 but both the Governments

of Punjab and Haryana refused to accept the division of Chandigarh

which was presenting a big hurdle to the solution of the vexed

problem.

On 9 January 1970, the Akali Dal working committee called

upon its rank and file to prepare for the struggle to secure Chandigarh

for Punjab by suspending its constitution and proclaiming Sant Fateh

Singh as the 'dictator'. In a resolution, it was decided that the Akali

Ministers, legislators and members of Parliament would hand over

their resignations to the Sant. As an immediate effect, eight Punjab

Ministers including Mr. Gurnam Singh Chief Minister submitted their

resignations to Sant Fateh Singh.101 On 10 January, the All World

Panthic Convention attended by about 5000 delegates from all over

India and foreign countries, unanimously endorsed the resolution

101 The Tribune, 9-10 January 1970.

76

adopted by working committee of the Akali Dal. Sant Fateh Singh

declared that he would go on fast on 26 January for the immediate

merger of Chandigarh with Punjab and if he survived till 1 February

1970, he would self-immolate himself.

On 25 January 1970, six of the seven opposition parties in

Parliament which responded to the Prime Minister's invitation to

discuss the Chandigarh issue had given the view that Chandigarh

should be given to Punjab and adequate compensation provided to

Haryana to build a new capital. On 26 January 1970, the Akali

'dictator' Sant Fateh Singh went on a six days fast for the immediate

merger of Chandigarh with Punjab without bargaining or bartering

away of Fazilka, in the building adjoining the Akal Takht. Sant Fateh

Singh declared that he would commit self-immolation, if he survived

the fast, on February 1, at 3:00p.m. in the "Agan Kund", which had

been built for this purpose on the roof of that building. On the other

hand, on that day, Punjab Ministers boycotted the Republic Day

functions and Tricolour was burnt in Amritsar, and torn at many

places to mark Akali Dal's 'Protest Day'.102

On 29 January 1970, the Centre's long awaited decision on the

City's future was announced. It was declared that the Chandigarh

Capital Project area would be transferred to Punjab within five

102 The Tribune, 28 January 1970.

77

years.103 Punjab would also get the Punjabi-speaking areas which had

been added to the city to form the existing Union Territory, while

Haryana would get the Hindi speaking part of the Fazilka tehsil in the

Ferozepur district of Punjab and the Hindi speaking areas in the

Union Territory. To provide contiguity between the Fazilka areas and

the rest of Haryana, a furlong wide "strip of territory" along with

Punjab-Rajasthan border would also be transferred to Haryana. It was

also decided that Haryana would be given Rs. 20 crores, half of it as

grant and the other half as loan to build the new capital. Pending

construction of the new capital, Haryana would continue to use office

and residential accommodation in Chandigarh for a period "not

exceeding five years" and during that period, Chandigarh would

remain a Union territory.104

On the issue of Bhakra and Beas Projects, the Government

agreed that it would consider such modifications in the existing

arrangements as were necessary. Under the existing arrangements at

that time, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh were

represented on the Bhakra Management Board and the Beas

Construction Board, both of which functioned under the overall

control of the Centre. The Government also proposed to appoint a

commission to examine other claims and counter-claims for

readjustment of the existing inter-state boundaries. The Centre's

103 The Tribune, 30 January 1970. 104 Anup Chand Kapur,The Punjab Crisis:An Analytical Study, p.182.

78

decision on Chandigarh was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet

which was preceded by a meeting of its Internal Affairs Committee.105

On 30 January 1970, Sant Fateh Singh accepted the

unanimous verdict of the Akali Dal's high command and the decision

of the All Party Action Committee and broke his fast in the building

adjoining Akal Takht after a glass of orange juice was served to him by

Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh. The Akali Dal's high

command at its meeting unanimously adopted a resolution saying

that it welcomed the Centre's decision as it gave the whole of

Chandigarh to Punjab.

On 25 March 1970, the 13 month old Gurnam Singh Ministry

was defeated in the Punjab Assembly when the Appropriation Bill was

rejected by the House by 44 votes to 22. A bizarre spectacle of open

dissensions came to be witnessed on the floor of the House, when

Balwant Singh, the Finance Minister, refused to rise to present the

Appropriation Bill. When it was moved by the Chief Minister himself, it

was defeated.

There was a rift in the Akali Dal over the Rajya Sabha biennial

elections. The Chief Minister, Justice Gurnam Singh got Giani

Bhupinder Singh elected to the Rajya Sabha against the official

candidate of the Sant Fateh Singh. Forty Four members - 35 Akalis, 7

Jan Sanghites and 2 members of CPI (M) voted against the Bill, while

105 The Tribune, 30 January 1970.

79

22 MLAs - 18 Akalis, one PSP, one Swatantra, one SSP (Mr. Roop Lal

Sathi) and the rebel Akali, Mr. Kapur Singh voted for it. The entire

Congress opposition (28), 4 members of CPI and one SSP member, Mr.

Balbir Singh, did not cast their votes. After the defeat on the floor of

the house, the Punjab Governor, Dr. D.C. Pavate asked Mr. Gurnam

Singh to submit his resignation at once; otherwise “I would be

required to dismiss you.”106 Within minutes of Ministry's defeat, a

meeting of the Akali Dal legislature Party unanimously resolved to

remove Mr. Gurnam Singh from the leadership of the party "for his

treachery and working against the interests of the party".107 He was

also expelled from the membership of the party.108

Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, Development Minister in the Gurnam

Singh Government was elected new leader of the Akali Legislature

Party. On the other hand, Mr. Gurnam Singh, Chief Minister met

Governor, Dr. D.C. Pavate and claimed to have enjoyed the support of

57 members of the Vidhan Sabha. He gave the break up as : Akalis-

25, Congress-28, PSP-1, Swatantra-1, SSP-1 and rebel Akali

legislator, Mr. Kapur Singh but early next morning he resigned.

On 27 March 1970, a three member, Akali-Jan Sangh Coalition

Ministry, headed by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, leader of the Akali

Legislature Party was sworn in by Dr. D.C. Pavate, Governor of

106 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, Vikas Publications,Delhi,1974,p.131 107 The Tribune, 26 March 1970. 108 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, p.138.

80

Punjab.109 The other two Ministers were: Mr. Balram Das Tandon (Jan

Sangh) and Mr. Balwant Singh (Akali Dal). Mr. Badal, the new Chief

Minister asserted that the sheet anchor of his Government would be

Hindu-Sikh unity, as expounded by the Akali leader, Sant Fateh Singh

and elaborated on the 11 point programme of his Government.110

On 30 March 1970, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed the

Punjab Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 1970, by a voice vote and then it

was adjourned sine die. Thus, in the first trial of strength, the Akali-

Jan Sangh coalition Government, led by Parkash Singh Badal foiled

the opposition attempt to block the introduction of the Bill by 55-44

votes.111

On 15 April 1970, the three member Akali-Jan Sangh coalition

Ministry was expanded with the addition of 5 more Akalis. They were

Mr. Sohan Singh Bassi, Mr. Surjit Singh, Dr. Bhagat Singh, Mr.

Radha Krishan and Mr. Tara Singh Lyallpuri.

On 30 June 1970, Badal ministry suffered a blow when four Jan

Sangh Ministers resigned from the Badal Cabinet and their

resignations were immediately accepted by the Governor. Dr.

D.C.Pavate. The Governor asked the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash

Singh Badal to either submit a list of his supporters or convene the

State Vidhan Sabha. Badal reiterated that he was ready to face

Assembly and the Punjab Vidhan Sabha would be convened soon for a 109 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, p.139. 110 The Tribune, 28 March 1970. 111 Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Reports, 31 March 1970.

81

trial of strength between the Badal Ministry and the Opposition. It was

maintained that the collapse of the Akali Ministry „would be a great

blow to the Panth and Sikh Community.‟112 On 1 July 1970, three

Sant Akali legislators, Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan of Malerkotla, Mr.

Gurdeep Singh Shaheed and Mr. Ajit Singh Talwandi met the

Governor and informed him of their withdrawal of support from the

Badal Ministry. The next day, two more Sant Akali Dal MLAs, in

Punjab, namely Mr. Surinder Singh Kairon, son of the late Mr. Partap

Singh Kairon and Mr. Hari Singh (Beas) withdrew their support from

the Badal Ministry, thus raising the number of defection from ruling

Akali Dal to five. The succeeding day another Akali MLA, Mr. Partap

Singh of Kumbkalan (Ludhiana) withdrew his support from the Badal

Government and joined the Akali Dal led by Mr. Gurnam Singh, Mr.

Pritam Singh Bhikhowali, Akali MLA from Dhariwal also switched

loyalties towards Mr. Gurnam Singh camp, thus being the seventh

defection from the Sant Akali Dal in four days.

Initially, the Punjab Government decided to hold a three-day

emergency session of the State Assembly from 5 August. The leaders

of the opposition parties mounted pressure on the Badal Government,

with leaders like Satya-Pal Dang retorting that the gap of one month

would be utilized for the worst type of horse trading among legislators

and to organize defections. They demanded an immediate convening of

the session to ascertain the extent of support enjoyed by the

112 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, p.165.

82

Government. As the Opposition was demanding the session to

commence on 16 July and the Government on 5 August, so Dr. D.C.

Pavate, Governor summoned the State Vidhan Sabha to convene its

session on 24 July at 2 p.m. to satisfy all parties.113

Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Jan Sangh Chief once again

reiterated that his party would not support the Badal Ministry in

Punjab to prevent its fall, and said that the Jan Sangh was aggrieved

at the attitude of the Akali Dal towards the affiliation of colleges to

Guru Nanak Dev University, withdrawal of Hindi as a medium of

instruction as also a subject of study in the Punjabi University, Patiala

and the communal approach to many administrative problems.

Mr. Badal tried to pull out all stops in order to woo Congress

(R)114 by meeting the Congress leadership in Delhi. The Punjab

Congress leaders conveyed their views to the central leadership that

Congress (R) should support the Badal Ministry if Mr. Badal

unconditionally agrees to follow the economic policy of the Congress

and gives up the communal approach.

The Punjab politics took a dramatic turn on the eve of the Akali-

Congress (R) talks when seven defectors returned to the Akali Party

(ruling group) after leaving Mr. Gurnam Singh's Camp. On 21 July

1970, Mr. Badal also secured the formal cooperation of Congress (R)

113 Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Reports, 31 July 1970. 114 After the „Great Split‟ of the Congress in November 1969, Indira Gandhi's

Congress took on the title Congress (R) - for Requisitionist and the Syndicate

clique became Congress (O) - for Organization. Though Congress (R) was

commonly taken to stand for 'Ruling' Congress and Congress (O) for the 'Old' Congress.

83

to ensure a stable administration in the state.115 „During Badal‟s

tenure, there were as many as 59 defections.‟116

On 24 July 1970, Punjab's political drama of the last four weeks

ended in a whimper when the two no-confidence motions against the

Badal Ministry failed to get admittance in the Assembly for want of the

requisite support of 21 MLAs. Only 19 members stood up in support

of the two motions when the speaker, Mr. Darbara Singh called for

those who supported the no-trust motions. Eight members of the

Gurnam Singh group, seven of the Jan Sangh and four members of

the CPI voted for the motions, while 28 Congress legislators remained

neutral.117

Sant Fateh Singh, Akali Dal Chief described the victory of the

Badal Government in the State Assembly as a triumph of progressive

forces against the reactionary elements. With 28 Congress (R) MLAs,

and four others remaining neutral, Punjab's four week suspense

drama was over in first five minutes of the Assembly Session. The

much heralded threat to the Badal Ministry had petered out rather

pathetically. But the Assembly's verdict marked a success not so

much of the ruling wing as of the neutrals who in effect determined

the fate of the two no- confidence motions. Which way some of them

would have finally decided to cast their lot remained to be seen. The

115 The Tribune, 22 July, 1970. 116 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, p.112. 117 The Tribune, 25 July 1970.

84

Opposition's failure to muster even the requisite minimum of 21 votes

for admission of the motions was a sorry reflection of their tall claims.

In September 1970, in a major development at the national

level, the privy purses abolition bill was lost in the Rajya Sabha. The

Government in a swift move decided at the highest level to de-

recognize the former rulers by an Executive Order. So, the 320 rulers

of the erstwhile Princely states became commoners with their de-

recognition on the strength of the Executive order signed by the

President of India, V.V. Giri. All the privileges and purses were

terminated. The Maharaja of Mysore lost the biggest Privy Purse given

to any prince as a result of the de-recognition order amounting to Rs.

26 lakhs a year. It was estimated that some 278 princes lost about Rs.

4.8 crores by the Executive Order.118

On 26 November 1970, the ruling Akali Dal regained its

absolute majority in the 104 member Punjab Vidhan Sabha following

the decision of the break-away Gurnam Singh group to merge with

the parent party headed by Sant Fateh Singh.119 The merger was

announced from the holy Akal Takht at Amritsar, jointly by Sant

Fateh Singh and former Chief Minister Gurnam Singh. After the

merger, the party position in the 102 member effective House

excluding the speaker was, Akali Dal 55, Ruling Congress 28, Jan

118 Katherine Frank, Indira : The Life Of Indira Nehru Gandhi, p.323. 119 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, p.112.

85

Sangh 7, CPI 4, CPM 2, SSP 2, PSP 1, Independents 2, (including

Deputy Speaker). Since February 1969 mid-term poll, the ruling party

was twice reduced to a minority, first when 18 of its members led by

the then Chief Minister, Mr. Gurnam Singh revolted against the party

on the Appropriation Bill on 25 March 1970 and secondly when the

junior coalition partner Jan Sangh parted company on the issue of the

jurisdiction of Guru Nanak Dev University.

On 21 December 1970, the Congress (R) and the ruling Akali

Dal shared the two prestigious Punjab Assembly seats, by-elections to

which were held the previous day. Giani Zail Singh, President of the

Punjab Congress (R) won the Anandpur Sahib (Ropar) seat, inspite of

the intimidation and harassment of voters, particularly the Scheduled

Castes and Backward Classes by the Akalis and he being expelled as

State Congress President by the Syndicate.120 Mrs. Mohinderpal Kaur

of the Akali Dal secured the Dakala (Patiala) seat. The Anandpur

Sahib by-election was caused by the death of the State Deputy

Minister, Sant Sadhu Singh and Dakala seat fall vacant after the

murder of lone Swatantra legislator, Mr. Basant Singh.121

In March 1971, in the fifth General Election to the Lok Sabha,

Congress (R) secured two-third majority in the Lok Sabha by winning

120 Zail Singh, Memoirs of Giani Zail Singh, p.113. 121 The Tribune, 22 December 1970.

86

350 seats. Mrs. Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister of India by an

overwhelming majority which were reminiscent of the halcyon days of

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. The strong Centre indulged in

machinations to topple other non-Congress governments in States or

created situations which forced them to resign.

Table - 6122

Party Performance in Lok Sabha Elections in Punjab - 1971

(Total Seats - 13)

Political Party Seats

Contested

Seats

Won

Percentage of

Votes

Congress 11 10 45.95

Akali Dal (Sant) 12 01 30.85

Akali Dal (Master) - - -

Jan Sangh 05 - 4.45

Republican Party 02 - 0.45

CPI 02 02 6.22

CPI (M) 03 - 2.20

Independents 39 - 4.50

In Punjab on 13 June 1971, the Governor, D.C. Pavate

dissolved the State Vidhan Sabha under Article 174 (2) (b) of the

Constitution on the advice of the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh

122 Election Commission of India, New Delhi.

87

Badal, who also simultaneously submitted the resignation of his 15

month old ministry.123 The sudden announcement came within

minutes of the decision of 17 Akali legislators to withdraw their

support from the Badal Government and form a separate Akali group,

headed by Mr. Gurnam Singh. As a result of this, the strength of the

57-member ruling Akali Dal was reduced to 40 in the 104 member

House. The crisis started few days ago after the Congress High

Command had decided to topple the ministry which it said was

responsible for atrocities against the weaker sections of society,

especially Harijans. This was followed by the resignation of Mr.

Tarlochan Singh Riasti, former Minister of State for Public Relations,

who had demanded action against the corrupt Ministers and

reduction in the size of the Ministry. He was supported by several

Akali legislators and this led to dissensions in the ruling Akali Dal.

Immediately after Mr. Badal‟s talks with Dr. Sharma, General

Secretary of the AICC(R) failed and on hearing that 17 Akali legislators

were about to defect from the ruling party, Mr. Badal went to Raj

Bhawan to submit the resignation of his ministry. The dissolution of

the Assembly took the dissident Akalis and Congress(R) leaders by

surprise, who were planning for an alternative government under Mr.

Gurnam Singh.

123 D.C. Pavate, My Days as Governor, p.189.

88

On 15 June 1971, the President, Mr. V.V. Giri, issued a

Proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution imposing

President's rule in Punjab. He took over all the functions of the

Government of Punjab and all powers vested in or exercisable by the

Governor of Punjab. This was the second time since the 1967 General

Elections that President's rule had been imposed in Punjab. Thus,

Punjab remained under the President's rule till 16.03.1972.124

124 The Tribune, 16 June, 1971.