Sharma : Do you mean to say that his various acts have stood the test of the time and he stands vindicated?
Chavan : Very much vindicated.
Sharma : Could you give us an idea about the strength of the CSP in Maharashtra and who were its leaders at the district and provincial level?
Chavan : Well, I would not be able to tell you about the strength at different levels in the districts. But I can tell you who were the leaders in my district and at the provincial level. The provinical level leaders were Achyut Patwardhan, S.M. Joshi, N.G. Goray. These are the names I remember now of the leaders of the C.S.P. At the district level, this Limaye, as I have told you, was there But he, along with others, also left that party after some time, because he was closer to the realities of the areas, so he came along with us. In different districts there were different leaders. In Poona, Shirubhau Limaye was there. I do not remember all the people at this length of time.
Sharma : What role do Atmaram Patil play in the politics of satara and how did you organise his election compaign?
Chavan : Atmaram Patil was one of the very important peasant leaders that emerged after 1934 in my district. He was educated up to matriculation or so but he was very articulatve. He had gone to jail many times and was receptive to new ideas. He became the leader of the young of the rural workers of my district. I was one of them.
During those days, In elections the tradition was to choose candidates from among the class of rich people, leading lawyers, money-lenders, rich peasants or agriculaturists who or whose families were known and well connected and who could spend a lot of money and could contribute to the party. When the time for election came ine 1936, we said, No, this time we would need at least one man from our group, who represents the new movement of the congress, the rural movement of the Congress. Our district was one of the leading districts from where thousands of people had gone to jail. Hence, we wanted him to represent us. And this request was not acceded to easily.
