Praja Socialist Party

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The Praja Socialist Party was an Indian political party in existence from 1952 to 1972. It was founded when the Socialist Party, led by Jayprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Deva and Basawon Singh (Sinha), merged with the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party led by J.B. Kripalani (formerly a close associate of Jawaharlal Nehru). A section led by Rammanohar Lohia broke from the party in 1955, resuming the name "Socialist Party". At the party's first general election in 1957, the PSP won 10% of the vote (the second-highest after Congress) and 19 seats in the Lok Sabha. However, the party's vote share continued to decline over the next few elections. Another section of the party, led by the trade union leader George Fernandes, broke off to become the Samyukta Socialist Party in 1969. In 1972, the PSP merged with Fernandes's party to become the Socialist Party once more, before becoming part of the Janata coalition following the Emergency in 1977.