First non-Congress Chief Minister Bihar: Bihar boasts of one of the most fascinating political histories in India. As it heads to Assembly polls next month, The Indian Express brings a series of articles that tell the history of Bihar politics through the tenure of its 23 chief ministers.You can click here to readthe previous edition on K B Sahay, the CM under whom Congress lost its first majority. This article tells the story of Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, Bihar’s fifth CM.
Like in most of India, Bihar’s politics in the decades immediately after Independence was dominated by the Congress, but by the 1960s, the party’s hold was loosening.
In the February 1967 Assembly elections, the Congress remained the single largest party, winning 128 of the 318 seats, but lost the majority for the first time. Chief Minister KB Sahay lost both seats he contested.
The Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP) won 68 seats, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) 26, the Communist Party of India (CPI) 24, and the Praja Socialist Party (PSP) 18, among others. The Jan Kranti Dal (JKD), on whose ticket Mahamaya Prasad Sinha had defeated KB Sahay, secured 13 seats.
Congress was alert in every state where it had lost majority, such as Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and focused on securing the first invite from the Governor for government formation. In both states, the Governors administered the oath of office to the Congress Legislature Parties (CLP) leaders: CB Gupta in Uttar Pradesh and Mohanlal Sukhadia in Rajasthan. However, in UP, Gupta’s government fell within 19 days, paving the way for the first non-Congress government under Chaudhary Charan Singh, who had defected from the Congress.
In Bihar, the CLP elected Mahesh Prasad Singh—a Bhumihar from Muzaffarpur—as its leader, defeating former CM Binodanand Jha. He staked a claim to form the government with the support of outgoing Chief Minister KB Sahay’s group, while Jha was backed by the Satyendra Narain Sinha faction. However, several members of the CLP were dissatisfied with Mahesh Prasad Singh’s leadership. Unsure that he would be able to lead a stable government, he declined the Governor’s invitation, thereby opening the door for the Opposition to present an alternative.
Door opens for the Opposition
Forming a coalition government, however, was no easy task for the Opposition. The prospective alliance included parties ranging from the extreme left (CPI) to the extreme right (BJS). Nevertheless, having fought the election as an anti-Congress front, they felt a moral obligation to form a government. In a public meeting on February 23, they had announced their intention to launch an inquiry into corruption charges against the outgoing Congress administration.
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After several rounds of negotiations, Mahamaya Prasad Sinha was chosen as the leader, and a 21-member cabinet took oath on March 5, 1967. The new government adopted a 33-point Common Minimum Programme in order to avoid coalition conflicts.
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha’s career
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, born in 1909, had a long and storied career. A bright student, he had been selected for the Indian Civil Service, but chose the freedom struggle over it.
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha was known for his excellent communication skills and qualities to connect the masses. He changed his affiliation frequently, in almost every election. In 1952, he won from Maharajganj on a KMPP (Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party of JB Kripalani) ticket, and in 1957, from Muzaffarpur on a PSP (Praja Socialist Party, formed with the merger of KMPP and Socialist Party) ticket. In 1967, he defeated CM Sahay from Patna West.
Later, in 1969, he won from Maharajganj on a BKD (Bhartiya Kranti Dal of Chaudhary Charan Singh) ticket, and in 1972, from Goreakothi as a Congress candidate.
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During the JP Movement, he joined the student protests and subsequently won the Patna Lok Sabha seat on a Janata Party ticket in the 1977 elections. However, he lost the 1980 Lok Sabha polls from Patna to Ramavatar Shastri of the CPI, whom he had earlier defeated.
He passed away in 1987, at the age of 78.
A short-lived government
Soon after the coalition government was formed, internal differences emerged over issues such as the language policy, land reforms, and food policy. A proposal over Urdu’s official status created rifts between the Samyukta Socialist Party and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
One notable figure during this period was BP Mandal, a Yadav leader from Bhagalpur (now Madhepura), who had left Congress before the 1967 polls to join the SSP (Sanyukt Socialist Party of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia), attracted by its slogan “Pichhde pavain sau mein saath” (OBCs should get 60 percent representation). Elected to the Lok Sabha from Madhepura in 1967, Mandal joined Mahamaya Prasad Sinha’s cabinet as Health Minister, despite not being a member of either House of the state legislature.
However, after Dr. Lohia expressed displeasure with him, Mandal resigned from both the cabinet and the SSP, accusing the party of failing to implement its OBC representation policy.
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With support from over two dozen MLAs, he formed the Shoshit Dal (SD) at the end of August that year. Congress later allied with the SD in efforts to topple the SVD government.
In order to save his government, Chief Minister Sinha expanded his cabinet to include more MLAs, but the move did little to help. Dr Lohia, who had formed the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP) and united the Opposition, died in October 1967.
Ultimately, Congress MLA Mahesh Prasad Sinha—Mahamaya Sinha’s long-time rival—brought a no-confidence motion against the government on January 15, 1968. The motion was discussed on January 24–25 and passed a day before Republic Day, with 163 MLAs voting in favor and 150 against.
The government thus lost its mandate and resigned on January 28, 1968. The Congress had been eager to bring down the coalition government, particularly since it had established a commission to probe corruption allegations against the previous Congress administration.
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This marked the first time a government in Bihar was ousted through a no-confidence motion. The outgoing CM recommended to the Governor that the Assembly be dissolved, but this was not accepted and efforts for an alternative government formation commenced.
