Question

Examine the role of the Syndicate in the appointment of Lal Bahadur Shastri as Prime Minister of India.

Answer 1

The syndicate was the informal name given to a group of Congress leaders who were in control of the party’s organisation. It was led by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. When Nehru passed away, K. Kamraj, the President of the Congress party consulted party leaders, members of the syndicate and members of the Parliament.

The members of the syndicate convinced the leaders of the Congress party to come in favour of Lal Bahadur Shastri. As a result, he was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Congress parliamentary party and thus became the country’s next Prime Minister. He was a non-controversial leader from Uttar Pradesh who had been a minister in Nehru’s cabinet for many years. He was known for his simplicity and his commitment to his principles. Thus, Lal Bahadur Shastri owed his position to the support he received from the Syndicate.