Indian National Congress
Madhava Rao involved himself in politics in the later years of his life. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1887, two years after its formation. He served as the President of the Reception Committee during the 1887 Madras session. In 1888, he was offered a seat in the Imperial Legislative Council by the then Viceroy of India Lord Dufferin but Madhava Rao declined the offer on ground of health.
While delivering the inaugural address during the 1887 session, Madhava Rao described the Indian National Congress as
..the soundest triump of British administration and a crown of glory to the great British nation.
However, at the same time, he warned that
The great experience of Europe has shown that representative government contains mucnh good and much evil. In introducing it into India, therefore, responsible British statesmen have to exercise great care and caution, that the good is produced and evil is excluded. In these circumstances it might be wrong to introduce that system into India at once, mereley because the Congress asks for it. It is absolutely necessary to take measures gradually, and tentatively
Madhava Rao resigned from the Standing Committee in 1889 due to differences with other members over the resolution passed on reformed legislative councils.
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