Shri Krishna Sinha, also known as Shri Babu was one of the best CMs Bihar ever had.
One of the biggest flaws in the Indian political system is that there is no inner-party democracy where upcoming leaders can express their opinions and contest for an important post in the party against the wishes of the top leadership. This has always been so.
Mahatma Gandhi – the decision maker
This used to be a trend – particularly in the Congress party where only a few leaders could win the election for an important post against the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi. One such person was Jawaharlal Nehru who was appointed as President of the Congress party in 1946 despite the popular vote in favour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and eventually became the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Sardar Patel got a clear mandate in 12 out of 15 Provincial Congress Committees (PCC) which voted in favour of Sardar Patel as the Congress President. Not even one PCC proposed Nehru’s name till the nomination deadline of 29 April 1946. Even Maulana Azad the then-Congress President was eager to continue as the President of the Congress party. Still at Gandhi’s behest JB Kripalani, popularly known as Acharya Kripalani nominated Nehru in a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi.
As Acharya Kripalani wrote in his book, Gandhi: His Life and Thought: “I sent a paper round, proposing the name of Jawaharlal. The members of the Working Committee signed it and also some local members of AICC… The others thereupon withdrew their names.”
“No PCC has put forward your name, only the working committee has,” Gandhi told Nehru who kept silent. Gandhi made Patel withdraw his candidature in the same meeting in which Nehru’s name was proposed. Even Acharya Kripalani withdrew his nomination as soon as Nehru’s name was proposed.
Finally the announcement about Nehru’s selection as the Congress president was made by Maulana Azad on 27 April 1946 who publicly threw his weight behind Nehru after Gandhi discouraged him from continuing as the Congress President.
Apart from Nehru, Patel, Maulana Azad and Kripalani, there were two more people – Subhash Chandra Bose and Jai Prakash Narain- who wanted to contest the Congress President’s post. But they were booted out and Nehru was declared president-elect without waiting for the next session of the Congress party or any formal contest within the party.
“I believe that the person best suited to carry out these duties in the changed circumstances is Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,” Azad told The Times of India in April 1946. It was mentioned in the press that Nehru became the president after Kripalani and Patel withdrew from the race. The Times of India portrayed this as an injustice to Patel.
When Gandhi – didn’t agree
Subhash Chandra Bose won Congress Presidential election by defeating Pattabhi Sitaramayya the compromise candidate being supported by Gandhi in the Tripuri Session. Bose won by securing 1580 votes against Sitaramayya who secured 1377 votes when the results were declared on January 29, 1939. This led to Bose’s expulsion from the Congress party.
Another leader who managed to win despite Gandhi’s opposition was Bihar Kesari Sri Krishna Sinha also known as Sri Babu who became the first premier of Bihar (1937-1939) and chief minister of Bihar (from 1946 to 1961 except during World War 2) till his death on January 31, 1961. Despite Gandhi’s opposition, Sri Krishna Sinha established the provincial government with the support of the people of Bihar. He was a prominent leader in Bihar and played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement. Sri Babu is the longest-serving CM of Bihar to date (close to 14 years) and also served as the Finance Minister of Bihar from 1957 to 1961.
Sri Babu along with Dr Rajendra Prasad (who became the first President of India in 1950) and Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha (who took over as the first Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Bihar) are aptly called “architects of modern Bihar.”
Both Sri Krishna Sinha (also called Bihar Kesari) and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha (popularly called Bihar Vibhuti) were the main pillars of Bihar politics since 1937. They were each other’s best friends, well-wishers as well as political rivals. Sri Babu contested election for the post of CM in 1937, 1946, 1952, and 1957 and each time he emerged as the winner, he made Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha his 2nd in command in the cabinet. Such was their friendship and rivalry.
But all said and done Sri Babu was a man of principles and never allowed his family members to join politics or seek political favour in Bihar or Delhi.
Born on October 21, 1887, in a small village in Bihar, Shri Krishna Sinha rose to become a prominent leader despite his humble and modest beginning.
Bihar Kesari Shri Krishna Sinha, also known as Shri Babu holds a special place in history as the best CM Bihar ever had and is widely respected even today across party lines — in the Congress, BJP and other political parties. He is remembered for his dedication to the welfare of the people, upliftment of the backward classes, and role played in shaping the future of Bihar after independence.
Even though he was born into a Bhumihar or landowning family Sri Babu was the first CM in India to abolish “Zamindari system” in 1949.
Having spent nearly eight years in prison during the freedom moment against the British Raj, he was a champion of human rights, a staunch opponent of casteism and supported the oppressed, scheduled castes and backward tribes. However, despite the positive developments, Shri Krishna Sinha’s tenure was not without challenges. Even during his tenure, Bihar faced issues like poverty, underdevelopment, and caste-based violence.
He was the first to think of land reforms when both Bihar and Bengal were united. He was concerned about the plight of peasants and advocated the need to redistribute land from large landowners to the tillers.
He was committed to reducing caste disparities and empowering the backward classes. He believed in equality, self-reliance, rural development, and social justice. This made him open the entry of Dalits in Baidyanath Dham temple (Vaidyanath Temple) despite strong resistance from the Pandas or priests of Deoghar.
Sri Babu was the mastermind behind setting up big factories to provide employment opportunities to the people of Bihar. He was a visionary leader who recognised the need for industrial development for the economic growth of the state. Under his leadership, several major factories and industries were established in Bihar making him a key figure in Bihar’s economy. Some of the prominent ones include:
- Bihar State Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (BSFC): Bihar’s first heavy industry to provide much-needed fertilizers for the agricultural sector in Bihar and the rest of the country.
- Vikramshila Paper Mills: to promote the paper industry and create employment opportunities in the state.
- Birla Institute of Technology (BIT): the fertilizer plant in Sindri which was a major step toward the industrialization of Bihar.
- Sugar Factories: which were important for the state’s agrarian economy and improved the economy pf the state and the local farmers.
He is remembered as a driving force behind the state’s industrial progress. Some of the other major industries set up during his tenure include:
- Barauni Oil Refinery: Established in the 1960s, for refining of crude oil, and contributing to India’s energy needs.
- Bokaro Steel Plant: which played a crucial role in industrial development of the region.
- Barauni Fertilizer Plant: an important fertilizer manufacturing unit set up in the 1960s, which helped support agriculture by making chemical fertilizers easily available to the farmers.
- Barauni Thermal Power Plant: a thermal power generation plant which played a vital role by supplying electricity to Bihar and neighbouring states.
- Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC): to harness the potential of the Damodar River for flood control, irrigation, and power generation.
- Patratu Thermal Power Plant: This plant was another important power-generation facility that played a significant role in the industrialization process by providing electricity to the industries and households in the region.
- Sindri Fertilizer Plant: one of the largest fertilizer plants established in India in the 1950s to boost the agriculture sector by increasing fertilizer availability.
- Kargali Coal Washery: Located near Bokaro to ensure that high-quality coal was supplied to industries in the region, including the steel industry.
- Garhara Locomotive Shed: This helped enhance the efficiency of the railways and played a vital role in the transportation of raw materials and finished goods.
- Maithon Hydel Power Station: A hydropower project to supply electricity. It played a big role I the industrial development of Bihar.
- Barauni Dairy Project: It boosted the local dairy industry and contributed to the growth of the rural economy by providing a stable source of income to the farmers.
He laid the foundation for Bihar’s modern infrastructure and long-term growth. During his regime, Bihar was one of the best-governed and top-performing states of India, especially during the First Five-year plan (1951–1956). He built many dams to prevent floods in the Koshi & Mithila region of Bihar. Rajendra Setu (the first rail and Road Bridge over the river Ganga in Bihar) was built during his tenure. His dream was to build a bridge between Mokama and Barauni and create a Begusarai-Bakhtiyarpur-Fatuha industrial corridor which remained unfulfilled and never materialised because of his death.
Shri Krishna Sinha placed great emphasis on education, especially primary education, to empower the people of Bihar. Under his leadership, the state saw significant strides in various sectors, including education, agriculture, and infrastructure. Some of the key educational institutions established during his rule include -Engineering colleges (at Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Jamshedpur, Sindri, Gaya, Motihari), Anugraha Narayan Sinha Institute of Social Studies (ANSISS), Bhartiya Nritya Kala Mandir, Sanskrit College, and Netarhat School.
Shri Krishna Sinha will always be fondly remembered for his pragmatic approach, inclusive governance and political stability in Bihar during the post-independence era.
He will always be remembered as the guiding force behind the state’s development.
He has set the standard for future generations of leaders in the state.
Shri Krishna Sinha’s life and leadership will continue to inspire future generations of Biharis and confirm his place in Bihar’s political history.
