Mr Brahm Perkash, President, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, was unanimously elected yesterday leader of the Congress Party in the State Assembly.
He later met the Congress President, Mr Nehru, and is understood to have discussed details regarding formation of the first popular Ministry.
Mr Brahm Perkash also informed the Chief Commissioner of Delhi of the result of the election. The latter will communicate the same to the President of the Union in accordance with the provisions of the Part C States Act.
The Congress Party has a strength of 39 members in the 48-member State Assembly. Yesterday’s meeting of the party was attended by 38 members and was presided over by Dr Sukhdev, the oldest member of the State Assembly. Thirty-eight members were present.
In accordance with Mr Nehru’s wishes, Dr Yudhvir Singh, former president of the Delhi Municipal Committee, proposed the name of Mr Brahm Perkash. The proposal was seconded by Dr S. Rishi, President, New Delhi Congress Committee, and was unanimously carried out. Dr Yudhvir Singh garlanded the newly-elected party leader.
Mr Brahm Perkash said as he was younger in age than most other members he would always depend upon them for guidance and counsel. He pointed out that in view of the limited powers conferred by the Part C States Act to Delhi and the extensive nature of the reserved powers conferred upon the Chief Commissioner members of the party would have to be vigilant if they were to serve the best interests of the people.
He paid a warm tribute to the late Mr Deshbandhu Gupta who, he said, bravely fought for securing a responsible administrative set-up for Delhi State.
Requesting members to beware of rumours that might be circulated by various parties. Mr Brahm Perkash said no quarter would be given to sectional, communal or regional interests as it would undermine the stability of the party.
He appealed to members to be dignified in their deadlines with services. They were assuming the reins of office for the first time and did not possess experience. It was, therefore, all the more essential that they took up their responsibilities seriously.
CABINET’S STRENGTH
Talking to Pressmen after the meeting Mr Brahm Perkash stated the question whether the Cabinet would consist of three or four Ministers would be finally determined in consultation with Mr Nehru.
In reply to a question whether he would combine the omen of the President of the D.P.C.C. and the Chief Minister. Mr Brahm Perkash said there was no constitutional bar to it but he realized it would not be desirable that one person should occupy these two offices. He had not. however, applied his mind to the question as yet.
It is gathered that the strength of the Cabinet will not exceed three, including the Chief Minister. The names of Mr Shafiqul Rehman Kidwai and Dr Sushila Nayyar or Mr Gopinath Aman are being mentioned in this connection. The question of appointing one or more parliamentary secretaries will be taken in hand at a future date.
DEPUTY LEADER
It in learnt the Congress Party will have provision for a deputy leader also. Initially it was proposed to have only the leader, secretary, chief whip, whip, assistant secretary, treasurer and nine other members of the executive.
A provision has also been made that Congress M.P s from Delhi and president and secretary of the P.C.C. would be permitted to attend meetings of the Assembly party. This has been done in order to maintain a close link between the Congress organization and the administration.
The Congress Assembly Party, in a resolution, mourned the death of Mr Deshbandhu Gupta placing on record Mr Gupta’s efforts to bring to Delhi State “ the status of a free and democratic unit.”
Thirty-three-year-old Mr Brahm Perkash will perhaps be the youngest Chief Minister in India. He started life the hard way, his father having fallen a victim to village frauds when he was only 14.
A radical in views, he joined the Congress in 1936. He went to jail for the first time in 1941 in connection with the individual satyagraha movement. He was again arrested in 1943 and detained for some months. On release he was interned in his village only to be rearrested for defiance of the internment order.
In 1946 Mr Brahm Perkash along with Mr B. D. Joshi and Mr Ram Saran Chauhan (both of whom are now in the Socialist Party) took over the leadership of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. He has remained at the helm of Congress affairs in Delhi ever since, first as general secretary and later president of the P.C.C.