Uttar Pradesh Revolutionary Socialist Party
The Uttar Pradesh Revolutionary Socialist Party (abbreviated UP RSP) was a left-wing political party in Uttar Pradesh, India 1951-1952. It held one seat in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The party ended up merging with the Communist Party of India.
Uttar Pradesh Revolutionary Socialist Party | |
---|---|
Leader | Jharkhande Rai |
Founded | 1951 |
Dissolved | 30 November 1952 |
Split from | Revolutionary Socialist Party |
Merged into | Communist Party of India |
Ideology | Communism |
Election symbol | Bow and arrow |
Lok Sabha | 0 / 486
|
U.P. Legislative Assembly | 1 / 430
|
|
Split in RSP
The party was formed after a split in the Revolutionary Socialist Party. As of 1950, under the leadership of Jharkhande Rai, the Uttar Pradesh state unit of RSP had become pro-communist. In 1951 the national leadership of RSP declared the entire Uttar Pradesh branch expelled and its State Committee dissolved.[1] The group of Rai then set up UP RSP as a separate party.[1] The influence of the party was limited to a few pockets.[2]
1951–52 elections
The party contested the elections in 1951 and 1952.[1] It was awarded 'bow and arrow' as its election symbol.[3] During the election campaign, UP RSP worked in alliance with the Communist Party of India and the Bolshevik Party of India.[2][4][5]
In the 1951–52 Lok Sabha election the party contested two seats; Kunwar Maharaj Singh stood as the candidate in the Bahraich District (East) constituency and Lakshmi Shanker in the Ballia District South (West) constituency. Singh obtained 7,064 votes (7.36% of the votes in the constituency) whilst Shanker got 13,601 votes (11.61%). All in all, UP RSP got 0.12% of the votes in the state (and 0.02% of the votes nationwide).[6] The party launched nine candidates in the 1951 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election. One candidate, Jharkhande Rai, won a seat. Rai won the Ghosi West seat, with 15,524 votes (47.95%). Two UP RSP candidates finished second in their respective seats; Udal got 7,587 votes (20.50%) in Banaras West and Kapildeo Singh got 8,267 votes (24.98%) in Rasra West. All other UP RSP candidates lost their deposits. In total the UP RSP candidates got 57,284 votes (0.34% of the votes in the state). The average percentage of votes of the UP RSP candidates in the constituencies contested stood at 14.32%.[7]
Merger with CPI
UP RSP merged with the Communist Party of India in 1952.[1][8][9] The merger was formalized at a party conference in Mau, held 28–30 November 1952.[10] Through the merger with UP RSP, the Communist Party obtained representation in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.[11]
References
- Sadasivan, S. N. Party and Democracy in India. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 1977. p. 83
- Kogekar, Sadanand Vasudeo, and Richard Leonard Park. Reports on the Indian General Elections, 1951-52. Bombay: Popular Book Depot, 1956. p. 154-155
- India. Report on the First General Elections in India, 1951-1952. Delhi: Manager of Publications, 1955. p. 87
- Adhikari, Gangadhar M. Documents of the History of the Communist Party of India, Vol. 8. [New Delhi]: People's Pub. House, 1977. p. 99
- Balabushevich, Vladimir Vasilʹevich, and A. M. Dʹi︠a︡kov. A Contemporary History of India. New Dehli: People's Pub. House, 1964. p. 532
- Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1951 TO THE FIRST LOK SABHA
- Election Commission of India.
- India News and Feature Alliance. India Who's Who. New Delhi: INFA Publications, 1972. p. 221
- Documents of the Communist Movement in India, Vol. 8. Calcutta: National Book Agency, 1997. p. 827
- Fic, Victor M. Peaceful Transition to Communism in India; Strategy of the Communist Party. [Bombay]: Nachiketa Publications, 1969. pp. 65, 75
- Shiv Lal. Indian Elections Since Independence. New Delhi: Election Archives, 1972. p. 164