. ▁Pat el ▁emer ged ▁as ▁a ▁new ▁leader ▁for ▁F iji ▁Indians ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁election ▁won ▁the ▁North ▁West ▁Indian ▁seat . ▁The ▁strike ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁second ▁world ▁war , ▁caused ▁the ▁native ▁F ij ians ▁to ▁view ▁the ▁F iji ▁Indians ▁with ▁susp icion ▁and ▁drove ▁a ▁w edge ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁major ▁races ▁in ▁F iji . ▁ ▁Mah a ▁Sang h ▁spl its ▁into ▁two ▁F actions ▁ ▁The ▁Mah a ▁Sang h ▁continued ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁K isan ▁Sang h ▁for ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁far mers ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁but ▁had ▁its ▁own ▁share ▁of ▁internal ▁divisions . ▁When ▁K . S . ▁Red dy ▁was ▁nominated ▁into ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council , ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Mah a ▁Sang h , ▁A . D . ▁Pat el , ▁was ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁faced ▁with ▁a ▁possible ▁challenge ▁to ▁his ▁leadership , ▁as ▁Red dy ▁was ▁also ▁based ▁in ▁N adi , ▁was ▁a ▁South ▁Indian ▁like ▁most ▁Mah a ▁Sang h ▁supp or ters ▁and ▁held ▁the ▁powerful ▁position ▁of ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁union . ▁Compet ition ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁reached ▁a ▁crisis ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁when ▁at ▁a ▁meeting ▁in ▁N adi , ▁Red dy ▁asked ▁non - fin an cial ▁members ▁to ▁leave . ▁Their ▁ref us al