BANSI LAL MEHTA, THE 'HAND' MAN OF THE CONGRESS

Bansi Lal Mehta, veteran leader, who passed away on Wednesday, was the man who secured the "Hand Symbol" for the Congress after the second split of the party in 1978.

- PANKAJ VOHRA

A member of the AICC till he remained active in politics, Mehta was aware that Indira Gandhi was looking for a new symbol after she broke away from the Congress that was headed by K.Brahmananda Reddy. He and the then Chief Election Commissioner, SL Shakdhar, were close friends and he urged him to allot the symbol which the former Prime Minister wanted for her breakaway faction. Till then the Cow and Calf was the emblem of the undivided party and following the division, the question of a new identity of the Indira Gandhi faction became necessary. Many symbols including the Elephant were offered but did not get the approval of Mrs Gandhi. Finally, she appeared happy with the idea of getting the Hand" as the symbol but the Election Commission was only willing to consider the matter at that stage. Mehta approached Shakdhar and convinced him to allot the symbol and succeeded. The breakaway group contested first on this symbol from a municipal seat in a bye election in East Delhi and won. The maiden Parliamentary victory was from Azamgarh when Mohsina Kidwai as Indira's nominee defeated her one-time mentor, Chandrajit Yadav. Subsequently, Indira Gandhi won on the symbol from Chikamaglur in Karnataka and the Hand became her party's mascot. The 1980 Parliamentary polls victory of the Congress which once again brought Mrs Gandhi to power was fought with the Hand" and she acknowledged Mehta's contribution in getting her that. If it was Bansi Lal Mehta who had been responsible for the symbol, it was another Congress l