The Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934 as a socialist caucus within the Indian National Congress. Its members rejected what they saw as the Communist Party of India's loyalty to the USSR as well as the anti-rational mysticism of M K Gandhi.

Influenced by Fabianism as well as Marxism-Leninism, the CSP included advocates of armed struggle or sabotage (such as Jayprakash Narayan at the time) as well as those who insisted upon ahimsa or nonviolent resistance (such as Acharya Narendra Deva). The CSP advocated decentralized socialism in which co-ops, trade unions, independent farmers, and local authorities would hold a substantial share of the economic power. As secularists, they hoped to transcend communal divisions through class solidarity. Some, such as Narendra Deva or Rammanohar Lohia , advocated a democratic socialism distinct from both Marxism and reformist social democracy.

Members of the CSP were particularly active in the Quit India movemement of August 1942. Although a socialist, Jawaharlal Nehru did not join the CSP, which created some rancour among CSP members who saw Nehru as unwilling to put his socialist slogans into action. After independence, the CSP broke away from Congress, under the influence of JP Narayan, to form the Socialist Party of India.

References

• Chaudhuri, Asim Kumar, 1980. Socialist Movement in India: The Congress Socialist Party, 1934-1947. Calcutta: Progressive Publishers.
• Gupta, Asha, 1987. Socialism in Theory and Practice: Narendra Deva’s Contribution. New Delhi: Gitanjali Publishing House.
• Mahendru, K C, 1986. Gandhi and the Congress Socialist Party, 1934-48: An Analysis of their Interaction. Jalandhar, Punjab: Asian Book Services.