Question
Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939?
1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi.
2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose.
3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours.
4. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Explanation
The Tripuri Crisis of 1939 reflected a deepening ideological and organisational divide within the Congress. Bose’s re-election as President did not translate into sufficient organisational support, especially as Gandhi and several sections of the Congress Left remained unwilling to back him.
Statement 1 — Correct: Bose failed to secure Gandhi’s confidence. After Bose defeated Gandhi’s candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, in the 1939 presidential election, Gandhi described Sitaramayya’s defeat as his own defeat, highlighting the political divide between the two.
Statement 2 — Correct: The Congress Left was divided and could not provide united support to Bose. The Congress Socialist Party, Communists and Royists had different positions and failed to form a common front during the Tripuri Crisis.
Statement 3 — Incorrect: The Communists did not support Bose’s approach, but this was not a direct cause of the formation of the Forward Bloc. Their position was largely shaped by their preference for maintaining Congress unity under Gandhi’s leadership.
Statement 4 — Correct: Leaders associated with M.N. Roy and the socialist groups, including Jayaprakash Narayan, prioritised Congress unity over backing Bose. Their abstention from voting on the Govind Ballabh Pant resolution effectively weakened Bose’s position and helped avoid an immediate split in the Congress.