Non-Congressism and the Congress split

The essentials

Socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia gave the strategy of non-Congressism. He argued that the Congress was undemocratic and against the interests of the poor, and that opposition parties with different ideologies should come together to defeat it. This idea contributed to the opposition's gains in 1967 and the formation of coalition governments in several states.

Inside the Congress, tension grew between Indira Gandhi and the Syndicate. In 1967 the Congress Working Committee adopted a Ten Point Programme that included social control of banks, nationalisation of general insurance, a ceiling on urban property, public distribution of food grains, land reforms and house sites for the rural poor.

Key points

• The conflict came to a head in the presidential election of 1969, after the death of President Zakir Hussain. The Syndicate's official candidate was N. Sanjeeva Reddy. Indira Gandhi encouraged the then Vice-President V.V. Giri to contest as an independent and asked Congress members for a “conscience vote”.
• V.V. Giri won. The Congress formally split in November 1969: the group led by the Syndicate came to be called the Congress (Organisation), and Indira Gandhi's group the Congress (Requisitionists).
• In July 1969 fourteen major banks were nationalised; Morarji Desai had been removed as Finance Minister around this time.
• After the split, Indira Gandhi's government lost its majority but continued with support from parties such as the CPI and the DMK.
• She also took steps to abolish the privy purse, payments made to former rulers of princely states. This was finally done by a constitutional amendment in 1971.

Exam tips

• Know the meaning of “conscience vote” and the names of the two presidential candidates.
• Link Lohia to non-Congressism.

Common mistakes

• Thinking N. Sanjeeva Reddy won in 1969; V.V. Giri won.
• Thinking the split happened before 1967.