B. Munuswamy Naidu

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

I did not provide a place in the ministry for a zamindar. I had no prejudice against any one, but in choosing my colleagues I had to be guided by the feeling in the party as a whole...The choice that I eventually made was not agreeable to the Hon. the Raja of Bobbili and some of his friends and consequently they began giving trouble in the party [19]

When two of his ministers, P. T. Rajan and S. Kumaraswami Reddiar resigned their posts, Munuswamy Naidu resigned before any no-confidence motion could be brought forward. [16] Munuswamy Naidu was succeeded by the Raja of Bobbili as First Minister. [16]

End of party leadership

The Twelfth Annual Confederation of the Justice Party was held at Tanjore on 10 – 11 October 1932. [20] The Raja of Bobbili was chosen to preside over it. [20] However, a faction supporting Munuswamy Naidu (then the First Minister) refused to allow the proceedings to continue. An eyewitness records that furniture and shoes were hurled around by members of opposing factions. However, the Raja of Bobbili prevailed and eventually assumed the leadership. [20] This marked the end of Munuswamy Naidu's influence in the party and he gradually faded from limelight.

Later life and death

Post Premiership, Munuswamy Naidu formed a separate party called Justice Democratic Party with his supporters and additionally had the support of 20 opposition members in the legislative council. He died in 1935 and his supporters rejoined the Justice party. [3] [21] A road in K. K. Nagar, Chennai has been named after him as Munuswamy Salai. (The caste suffix "Naidu" was dropped when caste suffixes were dropped from names of public places). A Bridge in the village Penamaluru in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh was named after him. [22]

Ideology

Munuswamy Naidu was a staunch supporter of the Justice Party. At the same time, he also supported the admission of Brahmins in the party. [23] [24]

At a tripartite conference between the Justice Party, Ministerialists and Constitutionalists in Madras in 1929 a resolution was adopted recommending the removal of restrictions on Brahmins joining the organization. [25] The executive committee of the party drafted a resolution to this effect and placed it before the Eleventh Confederation of the party at Nellore, for approval. [24] [25] At this Confederation, Munuswamy Naidu spoke:

So long as we exclude one community, we cannot as a political speak on behalf of or claim to represent all the people of our presidency. If, as we hope, provincial autonomy is given to the provinces as a result of the reforms that may be granted, it should be essential that our Federation should be in a position to claim to be a truly representative body of all communities. What objection can there be to admit such Brahmins as are willing to subscribe to the aims and objects of our Federation? It may be that the Brahmins may not join even if the ban is removed. But surely our Federation will not thereafter be open to objection on the ground that it is an exclusive organization [24]

However, the resolution faced strong opposition and was eventually withdrawn. [26]

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The first legislative assembly election for the Madras Presidency was held in February 1937, as part of the nationwide provincial elections in British India. The Indian National Congress obtained a majority by winning 159 of 215 seats in the Legislative Assembly. This was the first electoral victory for the Congress in the presidency since elections were first conducted for Madras Legislative Council in 1920. The Justice Party which had ruled the presidency for most of the previous 17 years was voted out of power. The assembly was constituted in July 1937 and C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) became the first Congress Prime Minister of Madras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 Madras Presidency Legislative Council election</span>

The first legislative council election to Madras Presidency after the establishment of dyarchical system of government by the Government of India Act 1919, was held in November 1920. Indian National Congress boycotted the election due to its participation in the Non-cooperation movement. The election occurred during the early stages of non-Brahmin movement and the major issue of the election was anti-Brahminism. Justice party won the election with no significant opposition and A. Subbarayalu Reddiar became the inaugural First Minister of the Madras Presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1930 Madras Presidency Legislative Council election</span>

The fourth legislative council election to Madras Presidency after the establishment of dyarchical system of government by the Government of India Act, 1919 in September 1930. Justice party won the election and P. Munuswamy Naidu became the First Minister. The main opposition party - Swaraj Party did not contest the elections due to its participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The first legislative council election for the Madras Presidency after the establishment of a bicameral legislature by the Government of India Act of 1935 was held in February 1937. The Indian National Congress obtained a majority by winning 27 out of 46 seats in the Legislative Council for which the elections were held. This was the first electoral victory for the Congress in the presidency since elections were first conducted for the Council in 1920 and C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) became the Premier. The Justice Party which had ruled the presidency for most of the previous 17 years was voted out of power. Congress also won the Legislative assembly election held simultaneously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1923 Madras Presidency Legislative Council election</span>

The second legislative council election to Madras Presidency after the establishment of diarchical system of government by the Government of India Act, 1919 was held in 1923. Voter turnout was higher than the previous election. Swarajists, a breakaway group from Indian National Congress participated in the election. The ruling Justice Party had suffered a split, when a splinter group calling themselves anti-Ministerialists left the party. It won the highest number of seats but fell short of a majority. Nevertheless, Madras Governor Willington invited it to form the government. Incumbent Justice First Minister Panagal Raja was nominated by Party leader Theagaraya Chetty to continue as First Minister for a second term. The government survived a no-confidence motion, brought against it on the first day of its tenure by the opposition headed by C. R. Reddy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1934 Madras Presidency Legislative Council election</span>

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Cited sources

Bollini Munuswamy Naidu
B.muniswaminaidu.jpg
4th First Minister of Madras Presidency
In office
27 October 1930 4 November 1932
Preceded by President of the South Indian Liberal Federation
1928–1932
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Local Self-Government in Madras Presidency
27 October 1930 – 4 November 1932
Succeeded by
Preceded by First Minister of Madras Presidency
27 October 1930 – 4 November 1932
Succeeded by