Desai-Liaqat pact
Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Desai-Liaqat pact was an informal understanding reached in early 1945 (c. January). It was made between Bhulabhai Desai of the Congress and Liaqat Ali Khan of the Muslim League. They proposed an interim central government, meaning a temporary government until a final settlement. In it, the Congress and the League would each name an equal number of members, and a few seats would go to other minorities. Neither party ever formally accepted it, but it was one of the last attempts at Congress-League cooperation before Partition.
Example
The plan came soon after the Gandhi-Jinnah talks failed in 1944. Its idea of equal Congress and League shares was raised again at the Simla Conference of 1945. That conference also broke down.
Don't confuse with
- Gandhi-Jinnah talks (1944): these were direct talks between the two top leaders about the Pakistan demand. The Desai-Liaqat pact was a narrower plan about sharing posts in a temporary central government.
Related concepts
- Provincial elections of 1937
- Congress ministries 1937-39
- Wardha scheme of basic education
- Congress Socialist Party
- Haripura session 1938
- Tripuri crisis 1939
- Forward Bloc
- Second World War
- Lord Linlithgow
- Resignation of Congress ministries