Practicing Success
In May 1964, the passing of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru occurred, following a period of declining health that had spanned over a year. This circumstance triggered widespread speculation about the imminent question of succession: who would assume leadership after Nehru? |
Why had Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned from the position of Railway Minister earlier? |
He was involved in a corruption scandal. He was offered a more prominent position. He accepted moral responsibility for a major railway accident. He wanted to retire from politics. |
He accepted moral responsibility for a major railway accident. |
The succession following Nehru's passing defied critics' expectations with its smooth execution. After Nehru's demise, K. Kamraj, the president of the Congress party, engaged in consultations with party leaders and members of Parliament. These discussions yielded a consensus in favor of Lal Bahadur Shastri. In a unanimous decision, Shastri was chosen as the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, consequently ascending to the role of the country's next Prime Minister. |