What does the term 'syndicate' mean in the context of the Congress party of the sixties? What role did the Syndicate play in the Congress party?
The term 'Syndicate' refers to an informal group of Congress leaders who were in control of the party's organisation during the 1960s. It was led by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and then the president of the Congress party. The group included powerful State leaders like S. K. Patil, S. Nijalingappa, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, and Atulya Ghosh.
The Syndicate played a crucial role in the Congress party. Both Lal Bahadur Shastri and later Indira Gandhi owed their position to the support received from the Syndicate. This group had a decisive say in Indira Gandhi's first Council of Ministers and also in policy formulation and implementation. The Syndicate even managed to nominate N. Sanjeeva Reddy as the official Congress candidate for the Presidential elections in 1969, despite Indira Gandhi's reservations. After the Congress split, the leaders of the Syndicate stayed with the Congress (O).
Explanation
The question has two parts: meaning of 'syndicate' and its role. The answer covers both aspects using the textbook context. The Syndicate was an informal group of powerful Congress leaders controlling party organisation, led by K. Kamraj. Their role included deciding leadership positions (Shastri and Indira Gandhi), influencing ministerial appointments, policy decisions, and even Presidential candidates. After the 1969 split, they formed Congress (O).