K. B. Sahay - Chief Minister of Bihar

Chief Minister of Bihar

In the years that followed, Kamraj, the veteran Congress leader came forward with his “Kamraj Plan” to strengthen the party. On 19 September 1963, with the announcement of “Kamraj Plan” came the news of Sri B. N. Jha being taken as one of the eight Chief Ministers to look after the affairs of Congress Party. Sri Beer Chand Patel threw his hat in the contest for the Chief Minister of Bihar. K. B. Sahay who was deputy minister in B. N. Jha’s cabinet was the other contestant. Satyendra Narayan Sinha, the prominent Education Minister, who was decidedly second-in-command in the Binodananda Jha Cabinet announced his support for K B Sahay. B. C. Patel was no match for K. B. Sahay, who polled double the number of votes as Sri Patel.

On 2 October 1963, the birth anniversary of Gandhiji was celebrated in Bihar along with the swearing in ceremony of Sri Krishna Ballabh Sahay as the fourth Chief Minister of Bihar with Satyendra Narayan Sinha again becoming second in command.

K. B. Sahay lost the 1967 elections but won the local body elections in 1974 to enter the Bihar Legislative Council as an MLC. He faced enquiries by the Aiyyar Commission in between but was vindicated. Sri K. B. Sahay met with a fatal road accident on 3 June 1974 just after winning the election, on his way back to his native place Hazaribag. His death was a terrible loss to the country and the people of Bihar.

Among the leaders of Bihar belonging to the 20th century, whom the people of this state would long remember for the constructive and invaluable services rendered towards the progress of Bihar, Sri Krishna Ballabh Sahay would certainly find a prominent place. His life is a superb example of how a man can attain his cherished dream by dogged determination, systematic planning and hard labour. He dreamt of an independent India and an ever progressing Bihar for which he sacrificed his whole life.