View source for Citizens Federation

{{Unreferenced|date=June 2019|bot=noref (GreenC bot)}}
{{Infobox political party
|name               = Citizens Federation
|native_name        =
|logo               = 
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|leader             = 
|chairperson        = 
|president          = [[Tupou Draunidalo]]
|secretary_general  = 
|spokesperson       = 
|founder            = 
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|leader1_name       = 
|leader2_title      = 
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|leader3_title      =
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|leader4_title      = 
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|founded            = 1959-1963
|predecessor        = 
|headquarters       = 124 Princes Road, Tamavua, Samabula
|newspaper          = 
|student_wing       = 
|youth_wing         = 
|membership_year    = 
|membership         = 
|ideology           = [[Social democracy]]
|position           = [[Centre-left]]
|colours            = 
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|country            = Fiji
|country2           = 
|state              = <!-- or country -->
|footnotes          =
}}

The '''Citizens Federation''' was the political expression of a predominantly [[Indians in Fiji|Indo-Fijian]] [[trade union]] movement, and was a forerunner of the present day [[National Federation Party]].

A dispute between cane farmers and the [[Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji)|Colonial Sugar Refining Company]] (CSR) in 1960 regarding a new cane contract led to the formation of the [[Federation of Cane Growers]] under the leadership of Dr [[A. D. Patel]] in May 1959. The Federation soon split, however: on 24 July 1960, [[Ayodhya Prasad]] of [[Kisan Sangh]] and [[Vijay R. Singh]] of [[Labasa Kisan Sangh]] broke away and signed an agreement with CSR for the purchase of the 1960 crop.  They were joined by [[B. D. Lakshman]]. Singh and Lakshman accused Patel of dividing the Indian population and leading them further into debt. Intercommunal tensions also rose, with some [[Fijians]], such as the [[Lau Islands|Lauan]] [[Ratu|Chief]] and [[Legislative Council of Fiji|Legislative Council]] member [[Kamisese Mara|Ratu Kamisese Mara]], called for Patel to be deported.

The Government appointed a commission of inquiry, headed by Sir [[Malcolm Eve|Malcolm Trustram Eve]], into the sugar industry. The Federation Committee was represented by A.D. Patel, assisted by [[Sidiq Koya]]. The findings of the commission were largely unfavourable to Patel's demands.

The Federation of Cane Growers contested the 1963 [[Legislative Council of Fiji|Legislative Council]] election under the banner of Citizens Federation.  It was not organized as a formal political party but sought to promote economic, cultural and political progress and stability in a united Fiji.  All three Citizen’s Federation candidates were elected to the Legislative Council.  In the Western Constituency, A.D. Patel defeated [[Deo Sharma]], president of the Kisan Sangh by 6244 votes to 3346, in the North Viti Levu Constituency, Sidiq Koya defeated [[James Shankar Singh]] by 3,998 votes to 3,480, and in the Northern Constituency [[James Madhavan]] defeated [[Harish Chandra Kohli]] by 2,753 votes to 2,175.  There was no Citizens Federation candidate in the Southern Constituency, won by [[Andrew Deoki]].

The success of the Citizens Federation in the [[1963 Fijian general election|1963 elections]], and the impending constitutional convention, prompted Patel to transform the Citizens Federation into a fully fledged political party.  The [[Federation Party]] was duly founded on 21 June 1964, with A.D. Patel as President and Sidiq Koya as Vice-president.

{{Political parties in Fiji}}

[[Category:Defunct political parties in Fiji]]
[[Category:Fiji Indian organisations]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1959]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 1963]]


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