India chose a Congress government for the next five years in the first general elections held under its Republican Constitution on February 13, 1952.
The election of the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, former communications minister, to the House of the People were among the highlights of the results.
A large crowd of people had thronged the compound of the district courts in Allahabad since morning anxious to know the results in the Prime Minister’s constituency
The Prime Minister was elected to the House of the People from his home constituency of Allahabad, defeating four opponents by 105,462 votes. Nehru polled 233,571 votes — over 64% of the votes polled for the General seat -- believed to be the highest secured so far by any candidate in elections in the country.
Except for the 50-year-old Prabhu Dutt Brahmchari who fought the election against Nehru on the issue of the Hindu Code Bill, all the three opponents of the Prime Minister forfeited their security deposits. While Brahmchari secured 56,718 votes, about 600 more than the minimum required to maintain the security, the remaining three in the field — KK Chatterjee (Independent), LG Thatte (Hindu Mahasabha) and Badri Prasad (Revolutionary Socialist Party) — obtained 27,392; 25,870 and 18,129 votes respectively.
The Reserved seat of this double-member Allahabad District East-Jaunpur District West Parliamentary constituency was also annexed by the Congress candidate, Masuriya Din. His only rival Bansi Lal (KMPP) polled 55,642.
{{/usCountry}}The Reserved seat of this double-member Allahabad District East-Jaunpur District West Parliamentary constituency was also annexed by the Congress candidate, Masuriya Din. His only rival Bansi Lal (KMPP) polled 55,642.
{{/usCountry}}NEHRU ZINDABAD
As soon as the results were announced, shouts of “Nehru Zindabad” were raised by the people gathered there. The results were immediately conveyed to the Prime Minister on the phone.
The opposition of Nehru by Brahmchari, who maintained a vow of silence taken about 10 years ago had added interest to elections in this constituency. His supporters approached the electorate through religious gatherings and organizing kirtans (mass prayers). Among those who addressed such gatherings were saffron-robed sanyasis charging the Congress with “unwanted interference with the religion of the people”.
To counteract this campaign which had extended to the interiors of this predominantly rural constituency, the Congress sent from Delhi a batch of 100 workers, including women and volunteers from Kashmir. These workers who carried out the Congress campaign under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, daughter of Nehru, and Mridula Sarabhai, worked day and night to approach each and every voter in the constituency.
SYMBOLIC ELECTION
None of the remaining three rivals of Nehru took the elections seriously.
While Mr Thatte announced his belated withdrawal in favour of Brahmchari, KK Chatterjee and Badri Prasad had declared that their contest was symbolic.
Thatte, however, filed a writ petition in the Allahabad high court last November challenging the validity of the nomination papers of Nehru. This was later rejected by the court on the ground that it had no jurisdiction in election matters and the Election Tribunal was the proper authority to be approached.
On all seven state assembly constituencies covered by the Prime Minister’s Parliamentary constituency, Congress candidates returned with a thumping majority.
Maulana Azad was elected to the House of People from Rampur District-Bareilly (West) constituency defeating in a straight contest his Hindu Mahasabha rival Bishan Chand Seth, by a majority of over 34,000 votes.
Dr BV Keskar, the deputy minister for external affairs, returned from Sultanpur District (South) constituency defeating his three rivals — a KMPP, a Jan Sangh and an Independent candidate. His majority exceeded by 49,000 votes.
Chandra was declared elected from Bareilly District South constituency, unseating his nearest rival, the Socialist leader, Damodar Swaroop Seth, by a margin of over 36,000 votes.
Among other Congress victories were those of Basanta Kumar Das from Contai (Midnapore district in West Bengal), Bheekabhai Bhil from Banswara-Dungarpur (Rajasthan), Paniopal Sen from Purnea Central (Bihar), and Keshav Malaviya, a former UP minister and a returnee from Gonda District East-Basti District West. Malaviya defeated his Mahasabha rival by over 39,000 votes.