Page 36 - Demo

The children would stay. It was a rare victory and a resounding one. In 1937 the provincial elections in the Madras Presidency were held. Though still under the 'superintendence' of the vindictive British, Maharaja Alak Narayan decided to contest. The Justice Party, the pro-British party of the zamindars was the incumbent party in power. Despite being the party candidate he brought out his individual manifesto which proclaimed %u201cthat he would strive for the quick and complete handing over of the government of British India to the people of British India%u201d. Such was the popular response to this call, that the Maharaja won with over 56,000 votes, the biggest margin in all of India. The Justice Party, however, was wiped out at the hustings and the Congress came to power.As PVG Raju recollects, %u201cThe storm had passed, so to say, and my late revered father vindicated himself not merely in the High Court but also before the people, by winning a resounding victory in the 1936 elections which laid the foundation of the withdrawal of British paramountcy from the country. In a restricted franchise and under circumstances in the Madras Presidency when all the leading aristocratic families opposing the Congress were roundly defeated at the polls, Maharaja Alak Narayan triumphed by over 56,000 votes%u201d. The British were still furious at the Maharaja and refused to let go of the clutches of the Court of Wards. Eventually, the celebrated philosopher and friend of the family, (and later President of India) Dr S. Radhakrishnan would step in. Dr Radhakrishnan was then a Professor at Oxford University and was able to bear forth his influence. PVG Raju recollects 26