In this episode discussing Dr. Ayesha Jalal's Sole Spokesman on New Wave History, we explore Jinnah's opposition to the Federal provisions of the 1935 Government of India Act, because they weakened the unitary government and introduced complications with the Indian princely states.
Both Congress and Jinnah aimed to dismantle the old provincial political structure the British had relied on, setting the stage for an alliance against the British. The 1937 elections, however, proved disappointing for Jinnah's Muslim League, especially in the Muslim-majority provinces. The League performed poorly, losing to the Unionist Party in Punjab and falling victim to divisions in Bengal.
“The 1937 Election destroyed the foundations upon which Jinnah had built his strategy ever since his return to India in 1934. Muslim provinces now felt the full brunt of the Congress which was ascendant at the center. They now recognised the need to have a spokesman at the centre and Jinnah and the League were the only plausible option for this.”
In the United Provinces, despite some success, Congress emerged dominant and didn't need an alliance with the League, undermining Jinnah's strategy for coalition ministries.
Jinnah's plans were disrupted, pushing Muslim provinces to see the need for representation at the centre. Sikander Hayat and Fazlul Haq helped Jinnah by allowing him to represent Punjab and Bengal but at the cost of the League's independence in these regions.
After the elections, Iqbal had advised Jinnah to ignore Muslim minority provinces altogether and to look to the Muslims of north-west India and Bengal. Iqbal wrote: “Why should not the Muslims of North West India and Bengal be considered nations entitled to self-determination just as other nations in India are? I think that the Muslims of North West India and Bengal ought at present ignore Muslim minority provinces. This is the best course to adopt in the interests of both Muslim majority and minority provinces.”
Iqbal was convinced that the League would now have to decide whether it would remain a body representing the upper classes of Muslims or the Muslim masses who have so far with good reason taken no interest in it.
As the President of the All India Muslim League, Jinnah's primary goal was to achieve recognition for the League's equality with Congress. While he was prepared to come to an understanding on this basis he said “We cannot surrender, submerge or submit to the dictates of the High Command of the Congress which is developing into a totalitarian and authoritative caucus functioning under the name of the Working Committee and aspiring to position of a shadow cabinet in a future republic.