February 20, 1954 PEPSU Goes to the Polls Thursday. Morning

TRETCHING from the In the first general elections, no forming only a loose one. The S boundaries of Delhi to the bor­ single party was able to get an alliance that stands out is the one ders of Pakistan, PEPSU or the absolute majority and in the ab­ between the National Front of Rare­ Patiala and the East Punjab States sence of close alliance between any wala on the one hand and Akalis Union, a conglomeration of former two parties, stable government under Master Tara Singh on the princely states with an area of could not be ensured. The Congress other, who between them have put 10,000 square miles and total popu­ polled the largest number of votes up 54 candidates. Akalis, however, lation of 35 lakhs is going to polls and got the largest number of seats, have spilt. The Left Wing Akali today. The anxiety is widely shared yet it could not form a government Part y under Sampuran Singh whether or not the present elections by itself. It succeeded, however, in Raman has aligned itself with the in PEPSU and Travancore-Cochin wooing the independents to form a Communists and joined the left will put an end to the instability of ministry under Colonel Raghbir alliance, the Sanjha Morcha or government which the 1951-52 elec­ Singh. This ministry failed to main­ Common Democratic Front. The tions brought to these two states. tain majority and an Akali ministry latter has been formed by Left Wing As the election fever grows in inten­ followed in its wake under the Akalis, Communists, Hariana Praja sity, the outcome in PEPSU is be­ United Front (now National Front) Mandai, Malwa Rivasti Akali Dal coming more and more clouded for leader Gian Singh Rarewala. Hut and Forward Bloc. Apart from per­ unlike the voters in Travaneorc- this ministry also was far from sonal differences, however, the right Cochin. those of PEPSU have not stable, and under it, even the main­ and left wings of Akali Party have a simple choice to make, straight tenance of law and order seriously no ideological differences on eco­ contests being absent in the major­ deteriorated. Under the Rarewala nomic or any other issues. They ity of cases. Though many have regime, at one time, recorded are agreed on the demand for a withdrawn, the number of contest­ crimes of violence within the State Punjabi speaking state and merger ants per seat is still more than four exceeded those of Punjab which is of PEPSU with Punjab for the pur- on an average. In PEPSU politics, four times as large as PEPSU in pose. This is the main issue on it is the unexpected that usually area and population. The normal which the election is being fought. happens. Hence it would be rash working of the Constitution was sus­ For eight of the constituencies, to "make any forecasts. What is at­ pended and President's Rule had an electoral agreement has been tempted here instead is an analysis to be imposed to clear the mess reached between the Akali Party of available facts in order to bring made by the United Front Ministry. and the Sanjha Morcha. In four of out the underlying currents and The comparative position of dif­ these, Akalis have agreed not to cross currents, to study the broad ferent parties in the last and pre­ oppose Morcha candidates, and in trends and suggest the likely out­ sent elections is given in Table I lour, Morcha will not oppose come of the general elections. and II. Akalis, In 24 of the seats, however. Certain preliminary observations Though independents were nume­ are necessary. It should be re­ rically the largest among the contes­ membered, for instance, that the tants and polled 26.3 per cent of Left does not mean the same thing total votes, they won only b or less in PEPSU as it does in the rest of than 10 per cent of the seats and the country because effective oppo­ as many as 149 of them lost their sition to the Congress in the State deposits. In the present election, has crystallised around Akali Dal, the number of independents has the main party to offer opposition, gone down from 187 to 112 and 12 which is a communal organisation. of them have subsequently with­ Secondly, though not to the extent drawn. This reduction in number sometimes apprehended by outsiders, does not appear to have improved the guiding impulse in the elections the chance for the independents, still remains communal rather than but their nuisance value in splitting economic. the votes remains unimpaired. An electorate of 18,80,000 has to Congress is without alliance. elect 60 members of the State Left has made frantic efforts to Assembly. PEPSU is divided into arrive at one and has succeeded in three electoral zones and 48 con­ stituencies, of which 36 are single member and 12 are double member constituencies. The seats reserved for scheduled caste members have been raised from 10 to 12, in pro- portion to the increase in scheduled caste population. Of the total voters, women constitute 43 per cent. Scheduled castes who consti­ tute about 19 per cent of the popu­ lation would have roughly the same proportion of votes. February 20, 1954

Sanjha Morcha candidates are con­ mand. In the other 43 constituen­ "guts and blood" will be able to testing both Congress and Akali cies, Congress has put up 32 Sikh offer better resistance to Pakistan candidates. Congress stands to candidates. It has already been after American military aid and not benefit in all these constituencies as mentioned that in the constituen­ the Congress, " wavering between Sanjha Morcha candidates, whose cies in which Sanjha Morcha has the ideal of non-violence and the main appeal is to Akalis, will draw set up candidates, the latter will reality of violence ". away some of the Akali votes. divert some Akali votes and make Prediction must be more than things easier for the Congress, The Akali party and the Hindu ordinarily hazardous when the com­ Maha Sabha could not conic to an The Akali party has gone down munal spirit still retains its appeal, understanding except in Rajpura a bit of late. The recent reverses and 200 candidates are pitted constituency. The alliance between suffered by them in Shromani against one another in 28 constitu­ Akalis and Scheduled Caste Fede­ Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, encies while in 20 constituencies, ration announced by the Akali prestige lost in Punjab elections and 65 candidates are contesting, 2 to party has been officially repudiated the expensive adventure of Fateh- 4 per seat. 'The odds seem still to by the Secretary of All-India Sche­ garh Gurudwara where Pt Nehru be in favour of the Congress and duled Caste Federation. I he latest was insulted have weakened con­ with some Scheduled Caste sup­ position is that only 3 out of 10 of siderably its influence on the Sikhs. port and, may be, of independents, the Federation candidates are not Communists have also lost some PEPSU may yet get a stable gov­ being opposed by Akalis or National ground, after the improvement in ernment. But one should not for­ Front candidates; the rest of them the law and order situation and the get the quick changing party ate facing opposition from both. land reform measures introduced groupings in the PEPSU legislature during the President's rule, eg. and especially the shifting loyalties Congress old veteran in the Abolition of Ala MaIkiyat Rights of legislators in PEPSU, to what­ game has sacrificed all its cherish­ Act, the PEPSU Occupancy Te­ ever party they may belong. ed principles, for " getting in " at nants (Vesting of Proprietary any cost. Some of its strategic Rights) Act and passing of the strokes are really masterly. Out of PEPSU Tenancy and Agricultural 60 seats, all of which Congress is Lands Act. The publicity for the contesting, for about 40 seats, tickets Dhuri Community Project, the have been given to Sikhs. About a Bhadson Extension Project and do/en of the Congress candidates Bhakra Nangal the trump card of are Rajahs, Biswedars, Jagirdars the Congress—has regained for the and their relations. This has caus­ Congress some of its lost prestige. ed a split in ranks of the Congress There is great uncertainty, how­ members and supporters. Three of ever, about 12 Reserved Seats, in the former Congress ML As have the majority of which Scheduled gone over to other camps and are Caste Federation candidates are contesting on National Front tickets opposed by both Akalis and the and eight of them are contesting Congress. Scheduled Caste votes as independents, in defiance of the and perhaps also post election party mandate. Congress has, how­ alignment of the Federation may ever, succeeded in bringing round prove decisive in the formation of some of these rebels, by convincing a stable ministry in PEPSU, them why it was necessary to nomi­ The Akali party like other com­ nate so many Sikhs or Rajahs. Con­ munal parties has little to offer in gress has also granted tickets to the economic field and its strength former Akali leaders who wield a lies in its ability to stir up fears considerable influence on the Sikhs about the survival of the Sikhs as for gaining Sikh votes, in spite of a community. It wants the aboli­ warnings from its old workers that tion of Rajpramukhs and an elect­ " a leopard does not change its ed head of the State and on eco­ spots ". There have been many nomic issues, Akalis, like the Con­ defections in the past of Sikhs from gress, favour liquidation of feudal the Congress ranks to the Akali interests, payment of minimum party. compensation to landlords, grant In the Hindu dominated consti­ of land to the landless, development tuencies of which there are 17, of cottage industries, profit sharing Congress may expect an easy vic­ in industry, encouragement to co­ tory, yielding only a few seats to operation, etc. But all this is Jan Sangh, in spite of strong dis­ subordinated to the demand for a content among the Hindus with Punjabi-speaking State. With the the Congress selection of candidates. appointment of States Reorganisa­ Hindu votes cast for Congress may tion Commission and Pandit be construed as votes against the Nehru's emphasis in his election Akali demand for a Punjabi-speak­ speeches in PEPSU that he has no ing State since, whatever the justi­ particular bias against a Punjabi- fication for such a State may be, speaking State seems to have taken there is lurking fear among the the wind out of the Akali sails and majority of Hindus, real or fictitious, Akalis are now telling the gullible of sinister motives behind this de­ that an Akali government with 218