Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs:
Party | Its Leader |
1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh | Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee |
2. Socialist Party | C. Rajagopalachari |
3. Congress for Democracy | Jagjivan Ram |
4. Swatantra Party | Acharya Narendra Dev |
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Only one
Only two
Only three
All four
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh—Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee: Correct
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded under the leadership of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in Delhi on 21 October 1951. He became its founding President.
Mukherjee had served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in independent India’s first Union Council of Ministers. He resigned from the Cabinet in April 1950 following differences over the Nehru-Liaquat Pact and other policy matters.
In 1977, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh joined other opposition parties to form the Janata Party. The Bharatiya Janata Party was subsequently founded in 1980.
2. Socialist Party—C. Rajagopalachari: Incorrect
C. Rajagopalachari was not the leader associated with the Socialist Party. He served as the last Governor-General of independent India, Chief Minister of Madras State and a senior Congress leader. He subsequently played a leading role in establishing the Swatantra Party.
The socialist political stream in India was associated with leaders such as Acharya Narendra Dev, Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia. The Congress Socialist Party was established in 1934. After independence, this stream developed through the Socialist Party and various subsequent socialist organisations.
3. Congress for Democracy—Jagjivan Ram: Correct
The Congress for Democracy (CFD) was founded in February 1977 by Jagjivan Ram, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, Nandini Satpathy and other leaders who had left the Congress.
It contested the 1977 Lok Sabha election in alliance with the Janata Party and merged with the Janata Party after the election. Jagjivan Ram later served as Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister in the Morarji Desai government.
4. Swatantra Party—Acharya Narendra Dev: Incorrect
The Swatantra Party was established in 1959 by C. Rajagopalachari, Minoo Masani, N.G. Ranga and other leaders. It opposed the Congress’s socialist and State-controlled economic approach and supported private enterprise, a market-oriented economy and limited government control.
Acharya Narendra Dev was not associated with the Swatantra Party. He was one of India’s leading socialist thinkers, was associated with the establishment of the Congress Socialist Party and later participated in Socialist Party politics.