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| {{Distinguish|People's United Front (Punjab, India)}}
| | #REDIRECT [[United Front (Punjab)]] |
| {{Infobox Indian political party
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| | party_name = United Front
| | {{Redirect category shell| |
| | abbreviation = UF
| | {{R from move}} |
| | founder = Gurnam Singh
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| | colorcode = {{party color|Shiromani Akali Dal}}
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| | chairman = [[Gurnam Singh]]
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| | no_of_members = 5
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| | foundation = 17 February 1969
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| | dissolution = 25 March 1970
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| | ideology =
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| | state_seats_name = [[Punjab Legislative Assembly]] (in 1969)
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| | state_seats = {{Composition bar|59|104|hex={{party color|Shiromani Akali Dal}}}}
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| }} | | }} |
| '''United Front''' was a Post Poll Alliance formed after the [[1969 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]] by Akali Dal, Jan Sangh and Left Parties as no singal Party got absolute majority in Assembly.
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| ==Background==
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| Akali Dal formed an alliance with [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]] and 2 Independents who won with the support of Akali Dal. Left Parties, i.e. [[Communist Party of India]] and [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] extended outside support to Akali-Jan Sangh government.<ref name=Turmoil>Turmoil in Punjab Politics by S. C. Arora. P. 113.</ref>
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| The Chief Minister preferred to call the Coalition Government a 'United Front' Government possibly to keep up the facade of Akali led People's United Front Government (1967).<ref>The Hindu, 12 March 1969.</ref> Gurnam Singh formed his ministry with four other members. 2 from Akali Dal (Atma Singh and Sohan Singh) and 2 from Jan Sangh (Balram Das Tandon and Krishan Lal).
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| ==Members==
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| The members who joined the Front were as follow:<ref name=Turmoil/>
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| {|class="wikitable" style"text-align:center"
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| |-
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| !S. No.
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| !colspan=2|Party
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| !Legislators
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| |-
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| !1
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| |bgcolor={{party color|Shiromani Akali Dal}}|
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| |[[Shiromani Akali Dal]]
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| |43
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| |-
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| !2
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| |bgcolor={{party color|Bharatiya Jana Sangh}}|
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| |[[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]]
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| |8
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| |-
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| !3
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| |bgcolor=red|
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| |[[Communist Party of India]]
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| |4
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| |-
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| !4
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| |bgcolor=#FF5C5C|
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| |[[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
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| |2
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| |-
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| !5
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| |bgcolor=#DDDDDD|
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| |[[Independent politician|Independent]]
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| |2
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| |-
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| !colspan=3|Total
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| !59
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| |}
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| ==Upheavals==
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| With the installation of the Coalition Ministry in power, there started a tussle between Gurnam Singh and Sant Chanan Singh (President of SGPC) over the issue of abolition of Punjab Legislative Council. Gurnam Singh publicly declared that the government would bring an official resolution during the budget session in May 1969. Sant Chanan Singh opposed the move because his close associates were the members of the council. Furthermore, Sant wanted Gurnam Singh to include in his ministry a large number of his own men.<ref name=Herald>National Herald, 12 March 1969.</ref> The CM failure to comply with Sant's order irked the Sant. Gurnam Singh's biggest drawback was that he lacked any hold over the organisation.<ref name=Herald/>
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| In March 1969, about a month after assuming power, the rift between Coalition partners emerged. Differences between Akali Dal and Jan Sangh arose over three vital issues, namely:-<ref name=Patriot>Patriot, 1 April 1969.</ref>
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| * Language,
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| * Center-State relations and
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| * Status of Chandigarh.
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| ==Toppling operation==
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| On 25 March 1970, Jathedar Santokh Singh lost the election of [[Rajya Sabha]] from Giani Bhupinder Singh (Rebel Akali leader) and this irked the Sant Fateh Singh as he supported Jathedar Santokh Singh and he gave the green signal to Balwant Singh (Finance Minister) to start the toppling operation by refusing to move the Appropriation Bill in the State Assembly.<ref>Patriot, 31 March 1970.</ref>
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| As the Strategy had already been worked out with the collaboration of the Jan Sangh Chief, [[Baldev Prakash]], the Jan Sangh didn't come to Gurnam Singh's rescue.
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| On the same day when Speaker called Finance Minister to move Appropriation Bill, he refused to do so. He suddenly announced in the State Assembly, that he would not move the Appropriation Bill. He forgot his constitutional obligations. If he didn't want to carry out his duties, he ought to have resigned. But he did nothing of the kind.<ref name=Arora>Turmoil in Punjab Politics by S. C. Arora. P. 121.</ref> By the time, Chief Minister was aware of the manoeuvre, it was too late and the House refused him the permission to move the Appropriation Bill. On this, Gurnam Singh himself moved the bill. This was, however, opposed and voting followed:-<ref name=Arora/>
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| * 22 - Favour [14-Akali (Gurnam faction), 3-Independents, 2-SSP, 1-PJP, 1-PSP, 1-SwP]
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| * 44 - Against [35-Akali (Sant faction), 7-Jan Sangh and 2-CPIM]
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| * 32 - Absent [28-Congress and 4-CPI]
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| <u>After voting against Government by Jan Sangh and CPIM, the Coalition partners, Front ceased to work.</u>
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| '''Resignation'''
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| On the same day, Governor of Punjab, [[D. C. Pavate]] asked Gurnam Singh to resign as he had suffered a defeat on the Finance Bill. Gurnam Singh bluntly told the Governor that he had no intention to resign. Governor reminded him that with his defeat on the Finance Bill, he had practically ceased to be Chief Minister, and that with his resignation his colleagues would automatically cease to be ministers.<ref name=Page>Turmoil in Punjab Politics by S. C. Arora. P. 122.</ref> On 25 March Governor again sent him a letter asking him to resign at once. His Secretary was authorised to inform him orally that the Governor would be required to dismiss him if his resignation didn't not reach him by the next morning.<ref name=Page/>
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| On next day (26 March), Gurnam Singh submitted his resignation to Governor and Governor accepted his resignation immediately but asked him to continue till an alternative arrangements was made.<ref name=Page/>
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| ==See also==
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| *[[Fifth Punjab Legislative Assembly]]
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| *[[People's United Front (Punjab, India)]]
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist}}
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| [[Category:Political party alliances in India]]
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| [[Category:Politics of Punjab, India]]
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