▁a ▁F ij ian ▁Indian ▁politician , ▁States man ▁and ▁O pp osition ▁leader . ▁He ▁succeeded ▁to ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁mostly ▁Ind o - F ij ian ▁National ▁Federation ▁Party ▁( NF P ) ▁on ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁the ▁party ' s ▁founder , ▁A . ▁D . ▁Pat el , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁remaining ▁in ▁this ▁post ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁He ▁later ▁served ▁a ▁second ▁term ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁N FP , ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁Ko ya ▁is ▁cred ited ▁with ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁p aving ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁F ij ian ▁independence ▁from ▁Britain ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁The ▁National ▁Federation ▁Party ▁had ▁been ▁oppos ing ▁plans ▁for ▁independence ▁without ▁significant ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁constitution . ▁The ▁N FP , ▁in ▁particular , ▁wanted ▁a ▁legisl ature ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁by ▁universal ▁suff rage ▁from ▁a ▁common ▁elect oral ▁roll ▁of ▁all ▁vot ers ▁– ▁a ▁demand ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁main ▁eth nic ▁F ij ian ▁polit icians , ▁who ▁wanted ▁a ▁commun al ▁franch ise ▁with ▁parliament ary ▁seats ▁allocated ▁among ▁the ▁different ▁eth nic ▁groups , ▁elected ▁from ▁eth nic ▁elect oral ▁roll s . ▁S idi q ▁Ko ya ▁was ▁more ▁willing ▁to ▁comprom ise ▁than ▁his ▁prede cess or , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁persu ading ▁his ▁party ▁and ▁his ▁people ▁to ▁accept ▁independence ▁with ▁a ▁commun al ▁franch