in Indian politics for a centrist party. Also, the rich and middle peasants were not yet fully and irrevocably alienated from Congress, especially as cooperative farming had been put in cold storage and land ceiling laws actually posed little threat to the existing holdings. On the other hand, they were the major beneficiaries of several government policies and measures: reduction of land revenue and extension of services including provision of rural credit, improved transport, irrigation, and electrification. By and large, the business class found that planning, the public sector, and government regulations did not block its growth and, instead, in many respects, helped it to develop. The mixed economy also left enough scope for its expansion. Above all, though steady in pursuing its developmental and reformist agenda, the Nehru government was quite moderate in dealing with and conciliatory towards the propertied classes. Even the princes and landlords had not been wiped out and had been consoled with compensation and other economic concessions. Lastly, the Congress right realised that so long as Nehru was alive his position in the country was unassailable; it, therefore, showed no inclination to leave. On the other hand, when Congress split in 1969 and Congress (O) emerged as a political force, the reason for the existence of Swatantra as a separate party disappeared, for the former was much more potent as a right-wing party. When Nagabhairava Jaya Prakash Narayana, the founder-leader of Lok Satta Party, was asked in 2014 whether he saw his party "as a modern-day re-embodiment of the Swatantra Party", he replied "in a large measure, yes. ... The founders of the Swatantra Party were visionaries and had India followed their leadership, we could have been where China is today, economically." See also Liberalism in India Piloo Mody S. V. Raju V. P. Menon H. Ajmal Khan Venkatesh Geriti Indian National Congress breakaway parties Notes References Other References Bipan Chandra et al. India Since Independence. Penguin India. 2008 [2011 digital edition]. Mariadas Ruthnaswamy. "Swatantra Party and its leaders". Swarajya. 30 July 1960. Mariadas Ruthnaswamy. "Is Swatantra inspiring enough?". Swarajya. 22 October 1960. H. R. Pasricha. The Swatantra Party – Victory in Defeat. Rajaji Foundation. 2002. Howard L. Erdman. "India's Swatantra Party". Public Affairs, vol. 36, iss. 4, pp. 394–410. Winter 1963–64. Howard L. Erdman. The Swatantra Party and Indian Conservatism. Cambridge University Press. 1967. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013. Madhavankutty Pillai. "Last