Question

why did muslim league perform poorely in the 1937 elections

Answer 1

The election results were a blow to the League. After the election, Muhammad Ali Jinnah of the League offered to form coalitions with the Congress. The League insisted that the Congress should not nominate any Muslims to the ministries, as it (the League) claimed to be the exclusive representative of Indian Muslims. This was not acceptable to the Congress, and it declined the League's offer. The elections too brought the League with a few benefits: ● The party learned a great deal about how to contest elections. ● The League now knew that its (League's) support lay more in areas where Muslims were in minority, rather than a majority. ● The League also realised that they had an 'image problem'. Its leaders were seen as aristocrats and princes, whereas many Muslims at that time were poor and illiterate.