Galbraith Sees Orderly Change, Predicts Shastri Will Lead India

John Kenneth Galbraith, Paul M. Warburg Professor of Economics, declared last night that selection of a new Indian prime minister will be "as orderly and painless as the transition from Kennedy to Johnson."

The former ambassador to India predicted that Lal Bahadur Shastri will be elected "within the next couple of days, and that will be that." Shastri is minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru, who died Wednesday of a heart attack.

Galbraith ridiculed the notion that only Nehru's personal magnetism could hold the Congress Party--and India--together. Western fears of political turmoil, said Galbraith, are "a tribute to the popular tendency to absorb the most powerful cliche."

Lloyd I. Rudolph, assistant professor of Government, agreed with Galbraith that succession will be smooth. "There is every expectation that Shastri will be chosen Friday," said Rudolph, but cautioned that the new prime minister faces a "fantastically difficult job."

Shastri, he said, is "the man most likely to prevent splits in the Congress Party," but he is now in "a very vulnerable position" because of his involvement on the Kashmir situation.

Shastri took the initiative in releasing Sheik Mohammed Abdullah, the Kashmiri leader imprisoned in 1953 after advocating independence for Kashmir. Abdullah, freed by India last year, is now talking "in a muted and quiet way as if he would still like an independent Kashmir," according to Rudolph.

Abdullah's politicking has "completely upset the Kashmir situation" because it undermines the basic Indian postion that Kashmir belongs to India. Indian leftists, said Rudolph, are attacking the release of Abdullah, and opposition to Shastri as a result of the issue is the one thing that could prevent his election.

But Rudolph pointed out that Shastri has the support of Kamraj Nadar, the first strong, independent president of the Congress party in years. "Nadar should be able to insure Shastri the necessary votes within the parliamentary party," Rudolph said.

Shastri himself "is by no means as conversant with international affairs as Nebru," said Rudolph, "and he can be expected to follow the main lines of Nehru's policies: friendliness with both Russia and the United States, and strong preparedness against China."