All India Forward Bloc (Ruikar)
Encyclopedia
All India Forward Bloc was a political party
in India
, emerging out of split from the All India Forward Bloc
. In the spring of 1948 the recently reorganized All India Forward Bloc split into two factions. In February the Central Committee of AIFB met in Varanasi
to discuss the situation after Independence and Partition
. At the meeting it was decided that AIFB should break all relations to the Indian National Congress
and that a separate party should be created out of the branches in Pakistan
. The then general secretary of the party, Sheel Bhadra Yagee effectively dissolved the Bengal
state committee of the party, and appointed ad hoc committees in West Bengal
and East Bengal
. This spurred discontent inside the party. Leading the rebellion against Yagee was the party president, S.S. Cavesheer. Yagee decided to resign as general secretary. In May the Central Committee met again and appointed Ramchandra Sakharam Ruikar
as the new general secretary. Yagee grouped his followers around himself, and by this time the two factions virtually functioned as two separate parties. The group led by Ruikar had its emphasis on nationalism
rather than Marxism
, and called themselves 'Subhasists'.
On December 29-31 the Ruikar faction held a congress in Ashutosh College Hall, Calcutta. Ruikar was elected general secretary and Cavesheer as president. At the same time the Marxist faction held a congress in Hooghly. Thus the split was complete. The Ruikar-led party adopted the India
n tricolour with a leaping tiger as their flag, identical to the one used by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army
.
In 1951 the issue of reunification was raised inside Ruikar's party. In June the Central Committee of the party held a meeting which decided to move ahead with the reunification of Forward Bloc. Ruikar and Leela Roy
disagreed with the decision, and were expelled. The two Forward Bloc's held a joint central committee meeting in Howrah on June 23, in which the two parties merged. Ruiker and Leela Roy did however mobilize their followers and reconstituted themselves as a separate party.
In the 1952 general elections, the Electoral Commission let the Ruikar-led party contest as 'Forward Bloc (Ruikar)' and the other AIFB group as 'Forward Bloc (Marxist)'. FB(R) contested six Lok Sabha
seats, 3 in Madhya Pradesh
, 1 in Madras and 2 in West Bengal
. The elections resulted in a humiliating defeat for Ruikar's party. It total the six candidates got 133 936 votes.
In the West Bengal legislative assembly election the party was a member of the People's United Socialist Front
, together with the Socialist Party
and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India
. The party contested 32 assembly seats, and won two (the only two PUSF to win any seats). The elected MLAs of the party were Atindra Nath Bose from Asansol
and Biren Roy from Behala
.
The following year the party was disbanded and merged into Praja Socialist Party
.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, emerging out of split from the All India Forward Bloc
All India Forward Bloc
The All India Forward Bloc is a leftwing nationalist political party in India. It emerged as a faction within the Indian National Congress in 1939, led by Subhas Chandra Bose. The party re-established as an independent political party after the independence of India...
. In the spring of 1948 the recently reorganized All India Forward Bloc split into two factions. In February the Central Committee of AIFB met in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
to discuss the situation after Independence and Partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. At the meeting it was decided that AIFB should break all relations to the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and that a separate party should be created out of the branches in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The then general secretary of the party, Sheel Bhadra Yagee effectively dissolved the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
state committee of the party, and appointed ad hoc committees in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
. This spurred discontent inside the party. Leading the rebellion against Yagee was the party president, S.S. Cavesheer. Yagee decided to resign as general secretary. In May the Central Committee met again and appointed Ramchandra Sakharam Ruikar
Ramchandra Sakharam Ruikar
Ramchandra Sakharam Ruikar was a pioneer of the Indian labor movement. He was born on January 8, 1895 in Rui, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He went graduated from college from Pune and Nagpur with a masters in history and economics. He created a legal service in Nagpur, where he founded the Nagpur Textile...
as the new general secretary. Yagee grouped his followers around himself, and by this time the two factions virtually functioned as two separate parties. The group led by Ruikar had its emphasis on nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
rather than Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, and called themselves 'Subhasists'.
On December 29-31 the Ruikar faction held a congress in Ashutosh College Hall, Calcutta. Ruikar was elected general secretary and Cavesheer as president. At the same time the Marxist faction held a congress in Hooghly. Thus the split was complete. The Ruikar-led party adopted the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n tricolour with a leaping tiger as their flag, identical to the one used by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
.
In 1951 the issue of reunification was raised inside Ruikar's party. In June the Central Committee of the party held a meeting which decided to move ahead with the reunification of Forward Bloc. Ruikar and Leela Roy
Leela Roy
Leela Roy née Nag , was a radical leftist Indian politician and reformer, and a close associate of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose-Family:...
disagreed with the decision, and were expelled. The two Forward Bloc's held a joint central committee meeting in Howrah on June 23, in which the two parties merged. Ruiker and Leela Roy did however mobilize their followers and reconstituted themselves as a separate party.
In the 1952 general elections, the Electoral Commission let the Ruikar-led party contest as 'Forward Bloc (Ruikar)' and the other AIFB group as 'Forward Bloc (Marxist)'. FB(R) contested six Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
seats, 3 in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, 1 in Madras and 2 in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The elections resulted in a humiliating defeat for Ruikar's party. It total the six candidates got 133 936 votes.
In the West Bengal legislative assembly election the party was a member of the People's United Socialist Front
People's United Socialist Front
The People's United Socialist Front was an electoral alliance in West Bengal, India, formed ahead of the 1952 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. The front was composed of the Socialist Party, the Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India.The front had candidates in 105...
, together with the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (India)
Socialist Party has been the name of several political parties in India, all of which have their roots in the Congress Socialist Party formed during the freedom struggle...
and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India
Revolutionary Communist Party of India
Revolutionary Communist Party of India is a political party in India. The party was founded by Saumyendranath Tagore in 1934, breaking away from the Communist Party of India. During the period 1934–1938 the name of the party was Communist League...
. The party contested 32 assembly seats, and won two (the only two PUSF to win any seats). The elected MLAs of the party were Atindra Nath Bose from Asansol
Asansol Uttar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Asansol Uttar is an assembly constituency in Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It covers most of the area earlier under Asansol constituency...
and Biren Roy from Behala
Behala Purba (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Behala Purba is an assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Behala is a neighborhood in Kolkata.-Extent:...
.
The following year the party was disbanded and merged into Praja Socialist Party
Praja Socialist Party
The Praja Socialist Party was an Indian political party in existence from 1952 to 1972. It was founded when the Socialist Party, led by Jayprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Deva and Basawon Singh , merged with the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party led by J.B. Kripalani...
.