B. P. Mandal

B. P. Mandal Biography

Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal, also referred to as B. P. Mandal was a prominent politician from the state of Bihar who served as the 7th Chief Minister of Bihar. He served this position during the term, 1 February 1968 – 2 March 1968, for a short period of 30 days at a time of intense political instability. He has also served as a Member of the Indian Parliament representing Madhepura, and served a term of 5 years since 1967. He is also remembered for being the chairman of the Second Backward Classes Commission, popularly known as the Mandal Commission. The new segment, "Other Backward Classes" (OBCs) was introduced after that, which led to some hot debates too.

Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal was born in the year 1918. He belonged to Yadav community of Bihar. He got elected to Lok Sabha for the first time in 1967, a term he served till 1970. He got elected to Lok Sabha for the second time in 1977, soon after Emergency period was taken off. But the term was short-lived and had only 2 years of existence. He succeeded Satish Prasad Singh, a Chief minister of three days in 1968 as the 7th Chief Minister of Bihar, a position he held for 1 month following political instability in the state.

When Morarji Desai came into power following Emergency period, he appointed a five-member civil rights commission under the chairmanship of Mandal. When the commission was completed in 1980, he recommended that a significant proportion of all government and educational places be reserved for applicants from the Other Backward Classes. While the report was tabled indefinitely by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, V. P. Singh implemented the recommendations of the Mandal Report one decade later when he came into power.

Published: September 18, 2018

Updated: September 18, 2018