As Bihar gears up for another crucial election, its past reminds voters of how fragile power has often been. In 1969, Harihar Singh’s brief tenure as chief minister became one of the shortest and most turbulent chapters in Bihar’s political story.
The chaos began after Bhola Paswan Shastri resigned in 1968, forcing 242 days of President’s Rule. When elections were held in February 1969, the Congress slipped to just 118 of 318 seats, triggering frantic coalition talks. Singh, a Congress MLA from Buxar and noted Bhojpuri poet, was chosen to lead a shaky alliance of Congress, Shoshit Dal, Janata Party, and independents.
Singh took oath on February 26, 1969, but deep factional rifts soon surfaced. Daroga Prasad Rai’s group opposed Singh’s inclusion of Raja Kamakhya Narain Singh, leading to internal battles. By March, the cabinet expanded to 33 members but remained unstable.
On June 20, 1969, Singh’s government lost a crucial vote on animal husbandry grants, forcing him to resign. Days later, the Congress split nationally into Congress (O) and Congress (R). Harihar Singh’s political legacy endures through his sons, Amrendra Pratap Singh and Mrigendra Pratap Singh.
