Tripuri crisis of Indian National Congress (1939)

Subhas Bose was elected unanimously as the President of the Congress in 1938 (Haripura (Gujarat) Session).

He was elected again on 29 January 1939 by 1580 votes against 1377 (Pattabhi Sitaramayya) before the Tripuri (Madhya Pradesh) Session.

The Tripuri Session of the Congress is known for the internal strife coming to a climax between Subhash Chandra Bose and other top leaders of the Congress whom he called rightist.

Subhas Bose believed that the Congress was strong enough to bunch an immediate struggle and that the masses were ready for such struggle.

He argued for a programme of immediately giving the British Government a six-month ultimatum to grant the national demand for independence and of launching a mass civil disobedience movement if it failed to do so.

He openly accused the rightists of working for a compromise with the Government on the question of the federation.

Gandhiji's believed the time was not yet ripe for an ultimatum because neither the Congress nor the masses were yet ready for struggle.

The Congress leaders, labelled as compromisers, resented Bose's charges and branded them as slander.

On 22 February, 13 out of the 15 members of the old Working Committee resigned, on the ground that Subhas had publicly criticized them.

The showdown occurred when Govind Ballabh Pant moved a resolution which affirmed the Congress's firm adherence to the fundamental policies of Gandhi.

It also expressed its confidence in the work of the Working Committee that had functioned for the last one year; and it requested "the president to nominate the Working Committee in accordance with the wishes of Gandhi".

Subhas failed to secure the total support of the left which he claimed he represented.

The Pant resolution was passed.

This left Subhas in an unenviable position: he was the elected president who was bound to the wishes of Gandhi, someone who had taken the defeat of Sitaramayya as his personal defeat.

When the AICC met, Subhas was in the odd position of being the president of the Congress who had no Working Committee.

Left with no options, Subhas did the honourable thing: he tendered his resignation.

The statement he made to the Congress was of necessity short-he had had very little time to prepare… The statement was dignified and without any recriminations (accusation).

It merely presented the facts that had led to his failure to form a Working Committee.

Rajendra Prasad appointed as the president of INC, soon after Subash Chandra Bose resigned in 1939.