SIMLA: The task facing the Congress Working Committee, in the words of a prominent Congress leader, is a “stupendous one”, for never was the Congress, except perhaps during the Cripps negotiations in 1942, called upon to give up, at any rate temporarily, its revolutionary policy and take responsibility of government both at the Centre and in the Provinces, writes the Political Correspondent of the Associated Press of India…

The most important factor [being] considered today [July 4] is what happens to the Congress organisation … When the Congress took office in the Provinces in 1937 the top men in the Congress organisation remained outside and effectively controlled and directed the policies of the various Provincial Governments through the Parliamentary Board set up by the Working Committee. ...

The problem arises whether the top men in the Congress can afford to continue to remain outside. If they remain outside, then the real purpose of taking power at the Centre may not be fully realised but if top men like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Babu Rajendra Prasad join the Central Government then what is to happen to the Congress…

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2020