NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Nehru was elected Congress President by the All-India Congress Committee meeting this afternoon [Sept 8] here. Only four men voted against his election while the rest, 296, acclaimed the election with loud cheers. ... Mr Nehru’s election as President came nearly a year after the ... session of the Congress in Nasik where it was anticipated that the Congress would split. The split was averted because Sardar Patel ... allowed Mr Nehru to have his way in respect of the resolutions but deferred the composition of the Working Committee to a later date. Mr Nehru after much persuasion joined it.
Four months ago, Mr Kripalani with a large number of important Congressmen left the Congress and was later joined by Rafi Ahmad Kidwai.
The rot in the Congress had started and Mr Nehru resigned from the Congress Working Committee with the implicit intention ofseeingTandon outforhe thoughtthat so long [as] Tandon and his group dominated ... the decay ... could not be healed. Mr Nehru’s election ... would not set things right. The Prime Minister has to remove all undesirable elements who have crept into the organisation... . News desk