From Nehru to Shastri

The succession after Jawaharlal Nehru’s death in 1964 was a moment of great uncertainty. Many critics had predicted that the Congress party would collapse without its towering leader. But the transition proved them wrong — it was smooth, swift, and unanimous.

The role of the Congress President

K. Kamraj, then the President of the Congress party, took charge of the succession process. He consulted party leaders and Congress members of Parliament to gauge opinion. A clear consensus emerged in favour of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Shastri was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, and thus became the country’s next Prime Minister.

Who was Lal Bahadur Shastri?

Shastri was a non-controversial leader from Uttar Pradesh. He had served as a minister in Nehru’s cabinet for many years, and Nehru had come to depend heavily on him in his final year. Shastri was known for two personal qualities: his simplicity and his firm commitment to principles. A telling example of his integrity was his resignation as Railway Minister after a major railway accident — he accepted moral responsibility for the failure, even though it was not directly his fault.

Challenges during Shastri’s tenure (1964–1966)

Shastri’s time as Prime Minister was brief but eventful. The country faced two major challenges simultaneously:

• Economic crisis: India was still recovering from the economic strain of the 1962 war with China. On top of that, failed monsoons led to drought and a severe food crisis.
• War with Pakistan: In 1965, India fought a war with Pakistan.

Shastri’s famous slogan

To rally the nation, Shastri gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ — ‘Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer’. This slogan symbolised the country’s resolve to face both the external military threat and the internal food crisis with equal determination. …