Mohsina Kidwai: How Mohsina Kidwai breathed life into Congress by becoming Indira’s shadow?

In his long political career, Mohsina Kidwai got the opportunity to fulfill many important responsibilities from the center to the province. But he got the most headlines through his victory in a Lok Sabha by-election. In fact, this victory was not only special for Mohsina Kidwai, but it also breathed life into the Congress which was battered by the crushing defeat of 1977. On the sad occasion of her demise, along with the political journey of the senior Congress leader, the memory of the Azamgarh by-election of 1978 which gave the message of the changing winds of politics,

Mohsina Kidwai stood firmly with the Congress even during the difficult times of the Nehru-Gandhi family. The most difficult time for the party was the 1977 Lok Sabha elections after the Emergency, in which the Congress was wiped out from North India. Janata Party had registered a one-sided victory on all 85 seats in Mohsina Kidwai’s home state Uttar Pradesh.

Indira Gandhi and her younger sons were defeated in Rae Bareli and Amethi. After coming into power, the proceedings of the Shah Commission constituted by the Janata Government for the excesses of the Emergency were continuing rapidly. In its five hundred page report in February 1978, the commission had declared Indira, Sanjay, Bansilal etc. guilty of various charges and recommended action against them.

Indira Gandhi again on the streets

In response, Indira Gandhi rejected the Shah Commission report and intensified her campaign to reach out to the public. Uttarakhand had not become a separate state then. In April 1978, the agitation of Pantnagar Agricultural University employees regarding salary hike took a violent turn. There were 16 deaths there due to police firing. Indira Gandhi was the first among the leaders to reach the spot.

A few months ago, Uttar Pradesh had completely rejected Indira Gandhi. But she was again busy finding her way back. This state, which has the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha, proved helpful in bringing Congress to power at the Center in three Lok Sabha elections during the time of his father Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and two during the time of Indira Gandhi. Uttar Pradesh also played a big role in the 1977 defeat. His priority was to become strong again in Uttar Pradesh to turn the tables.

By-election due to resignation of Ramnaresh Yadav

After the defeat of Congress in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections, the Janata Party government dismissed the Congress governments of nine states. Uttar Pradesh was involved in this. Like the Lok Sabha, the Janata Party had repeated its performance in the state assembly elections also. But to lead the state government, the Janata Party had handed over the command to Ramnaresh Yadav, the Lok Sabha member elected from Azamgarh, instead of any of its MLAs. After assuming the post of Chief Minister, Yadav resigned from the membership of Lok Sabha. By-election was decided for the vacant Lok Sabha seat of Azamgarh. Due to the success of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Janata Party had additional confidence of victory.

Muslim voters played a big role in the defeat of 1977.

Along with the defeat in the central and state elections, the Congress was embroiled in the Shah Commission as well as the daily revelations about the excesses of the Emergency. But meanwhile, Indira Gandhi’s visits and the struggle of Sanjay Gandhi’s supporters from streets to courts had boosted the morale of Congress workers. Azamgarh by-election was a challenge before the party. This Yadav-Muslim dominated Lok Sabha constituency was not suitable for the party in terms of the then circumstances.

During the Emergency, there was maximum anger among the Muslim population regarding sterilization. Bulldozers operating in Muslim settlements including Turkman Gate in Delhi had also provoked their anger. Muslim voters played a big role in the defeat of Congress in 1977.

Mohsina did not lag behind even in adverse conditions

Even in adverse circumstances, Indira Gandhi decided to field a Muslim candidate in the Azamgarh by-election. For this he chose Mohsana Kidwai who had been a member of the state cabinet. She stood firmly with Indira Gandhi even in bad times. Of course the environment was not favourable, but following Indira Gandhi’s instructions, Mohsina Kidwai did not show any hesitation in contesting the elections. Since the by-election was being held in the area which till recently was the constituency of the Chief Minister of the state, naturally the reputation of the government and the Janata Party was also linked to its outcome. Keeping in mind the caste equations of the area, Janata Party had made Ram Vachan Yadav its candidate.

Indira’s public meetings

As expected, this by-election was very exciting. Ministers and senior leaders of the Janata Party from the center to the state participated in the election campaign with full force. On the other hand, Indira Gandhi further heated up the region in the summer of 1978 with her frenzied meetings and tours. Indira Gandhi had used all her strength to reverse the defeat that had happened some time ago. She used to travel in an Ambassador car, which did not have air conditioner.

Mohsina Kidwai lived with him. Wherever she got a chance, she would come out among the public. Janata Party leaders were cautioning the voters by repeating stories of the excesses of the Emergency. But the ease with which Indira was moving among the voters and being listened to patiently, regardless of any danger, was giving the message of the results. Mohsina Kidwai had won this election by a margin of about forty thousand votes.

Jeet gave national identity to Mohsina

The results of Azamgarh by-election were a message of the changing mood of the people. This showed that people’s anger regarding the Emergency was at its lowest. Congress got new courage from this. The victory gave Mohsina Kidwai political recognition at the national level. She came closer to Indira Gandhi and new possibilities opened up for her in the party and government. The party gave him four terms in Rajya Sabha. She was also a minister in the governments of Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao. In 1990-92, the party made him the President of Congress in Uttar Pradesh. She was among those women leaders of the party who continued advocating for women’s rights or carrying out their responsibilities calmly and seriously. His loyalty towards the party and the Gandhi family remained till the last moment.

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