MADHYA PRADESH- JP and Jan Sangh


MADHYA PRADESH JP and Jan Sangh N K Singh JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN's stir in Madhya Pradesh has pretended to be no more than a reformist movement. There have been no radical slogans. such as 'total revolution' or dissolution of the Assembly as in Bihar. The demands are straightforward ones: eradication of unemployment, of administrative corruption, and of I lit- inflationary price rise, and appointment of independent tribunals to look into the charges of corruption against ministers, top officials, etc. If, nevertheless, there has been panic in the Congress camp, it reflects more on the condition of the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh. JP's visit to the slate in December last was followed by no more than the formation of 'Jana and Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samities' which have been less than active. Yet this was enough to throw the ruling party into extreme agitation. On the eve of JP's visit to the state, the police were put on the alert and an army of plain- clothesmen were pressed into service. The disturbed high command had even sent out directives that factional leaders should sink their differences and put up a 'united front'.