Swatantra Party facts for kids

The Swatantra Party was a political party in India. It existed from 1959 to 1974. It was started by C. Rajagopalachari. He created it because he disagreed with the Indian National Congress party's ideas. The Congress party, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, was becoming more focused on government control over the economy. The Swatantra Party believed in a free market economy. This meant people and businesses should make their own choices about money and trade, with less government involvement.

What Was the Swatantra Party?

The Swatantra Party's name means "Freedom" in Hindi. It was founded in 1959 by C. Rajagopalachari. He was a respected leader who had worked with Nehru during India's fight for independence. However, he felt that the Congress party was moving too much towards socialism. Socialism often means the government has a lot of control over businesses and resources.

Why Was It Formed?

Rajagopalachari and his friends believed that too much government control could harm India's economy. They wanted people to have more economic freedom. In 1960, they wrote a 21-point plan. This plan explained why they needed to form a new party. They wanted to offer a different path for India's future. Prime Minister Nehru did not like the new party. He said it belonged to "the middle ages of lords, castles and zamindars." This was his way of saying it represented old, wealthy ideas.

What Did It Believe In?

The Swatantra Party believed in a market-based economy. This means they thought businesses and individuals should have more freedom. They wanted less government interference in how people earned money or ran companies. The party was popular with some traders and business owners. At the state level, many leaders were wealthy landowners called zamindars. People from former princely states also supported the party. Unlike some other parties, the Swatantra Party welcomed members from all religions.

The Party's Journey in Elections

The Swatantra Party quickly became a notable force in Indian politics. It participated in several general elections. These elections decide who will represent people in the Lok Sabha, which is like India's parliament.

First Steps: The 1962 Election

The first general election for the Swatantra Party was in 1962. This was soon after it was formed. The party received 6.8 percent of all the votes. It won 18 seats in the third Lok Sabha. This made it an important opposition party. It was the main party against the ruling Congress in four states: Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Orissa.

Growing Stronger: The 1967 Election

By the next general election in 1967, the Swatantra Party had grown stronger. It won 8.7 percent of the votes. This time, it became the single largest opposition party in the fourth Lok Sabha. It secured 44 seats. This showed that many people in India supported its ideas.

The Grand Alliance and Decline

In the 1971 election, the Swatantra Party joined a group called the "Grand Alliance." This alliance included many different parties. Their main goal was to defeat Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Congress party. However, the alliance did not succeed as planned. The Swatantra Party won only eight seats and got 3% of the votes. The next year, in 1972, its founder C. Rajagopalachari passed away. After his death, the party quickly lost its strength. By 1974, many of its members joined another group called the Bharatiya Lok Dal. This new group also aimed to oppose the Congress party.