In 1935 Congress celebrated its golden jubilee at Bombay.
Meanwhile the British government had made some moves to appease Indians by holding the carrot of the participation in the provincial governments. The Congress party had taken part in the elections held under the new provisions and won majority in many assemblies. Some Congress leaders thought that Congress should not cooperate with the British by participating in the government formations. Gandhiji was also of this view.
Others differed on the issue. They wanted to form the governments inspite of the British appointed governors having overruling powers. The debate raged on.
Jawarharlal was then Congress president. He appointed working committee consisting of hot heads who were in favour of forming governments and the decision to that effect was taken.
It annoyed Gandhiji.
In protest he retired to his Sevagram Ashram.
Sarojini wrote a letter to Jawaharlal expressing her concern over the internal differences of the party and the bad feeling.
This was the time when Jawaharlal and Subhash had come closer. The two were of the socialist fire brands. In 1938 Jawahar Lal pushed Subhash Bose name for the presidentship. During his one year tenure Subhash tried to convert the party into a kind of low key army. He believed in throwing a direct challenge to the British government.
Gandhji strongly disapproved this policy. He feared that Subhash was militarising the Congress. Subhash put in his name for another year of the presidentship.
Gandhiji could not take it.
He pitched in Pattabhi Sitaramaiya as his nominee. Subhash won the contest by a huge margin to the chagrin of Gandhiji. He sadly announced that Sitaramaiya’s defeat was his own defeat.
Without Gandhiji’s support Subhash had no chance of surviving as the president as the majority of the Congress leaders were Gandhi faithfuls. It became difficult for Subhash to assume office.
Sarojini tried to make peace by saying to Subhash Bose, ‘We all want you to continue as the president and guide the Congress. We want to cooperate with you…’
But it did not work. Gandhi loyalists were in no mood to cooperate. Sardar Patel was one of them.
Subhash had to resign in the interest of the unity and the smooth functioning of the party. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was chosen compromise president.
