Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939? 1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. 2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose. 3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours. 4. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.

Option (B) — 1, 2 and 4

• After winning the Congress Presidency at Tripuri in 1939, Bose faced strong opposition from the Gandhian old guard and failed to win Gandhi's confidence, which made his functioning as president untenable.
• The Congress Left was deeply disunited. The Communists initially supported Bose but later withdrew support. The M.N. Roy group and socialists like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred maintaining Congress unity over backing Bose.
• Bose resigned from the Congress presidency in April 1939 and formed the Forward Bloc in May 1939 as a faction within the Congress to consolidate the Left.
• The Communists did initially support Bose during the Tripuri crisis, so statement 3 (that they did not support him) is incorrect in the context of the formation of the Forward Bloc.

• 1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi: Correct. Gandhi opposed Bose's re-election and his candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya lost, but Gandhi's supporters made it impossible for Bose to function as president.
• 2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose: Correct. The Left within the Congress was fragmented and could not present a united front behind Bose.
• Statement 3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours: Incorrect. The Communists actively supported Bose during the Tripuri session and voted against the Pant resolution, standing by him longer than other left groups.
• 4. Supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose: Correct. JP and the Roy group chose to maintain Congress unity rather than back Bose's confrontation with the Gandhian leadership.