VYVEwan7971 at 03:04, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T03:04:00Z

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{{Short description|Council of Ministers headed by Chaudhary Charan Singh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name = Chaudhary Charan Singh ministry
|cabinet_type=ministry
|cabinet_number = 10th
|jurisdiction = the [[Republic of India]]
|incumbent =
| flag = Flag of India.svg
| flag_border = true
|image = Charan Singh, Prime Minister.jpg
|image_size =
|caption = Prime Minister, [[Charan Singh]]
|date_formed = {{Start date|df=yes|1979|7|28}}
|date_dissolved = {{Start date|df=yes|1980|01|14}}
|government_head = [[Charan Singh]]
|government_head_history =
|deputy_government_head = [[Yashwantrao Chavan]]
|state_head = [[Neelam Sanjiva Reddy]]
|members_number =
|former_members_number =
|total_number =
|political_party = [[Janata Party (Secular)]] [[1980 Indian general election#Results by alliance|(Janata (Secular) alliance)]] (Supported by [[Indian National Congress (Urs)|INC(U)]] 75/543 and [[Indian National Congress (Indira)|(INC(I)]] 79/543 MPs).
|legislature_status = [[Coalition government|Coalition]]
|election =
|last_election = [[1980 Indian general election|1980]]
|legislature_term = {{Age in years, months and days|1979|7|28|1980|01|14}}
|budget =
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party = [[Indian National Congress]] [[1980 Indian general election#Results by alliance|(Congress alliance)]]
|opposition_leader = [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] (In [[Lok Sabha]]) [[Kamalapati Tripathi]] (In [[Rajya Sabha]])
|incoming_formation =
|outgoing_formation =
|previous = [[Desai ministry]]
|successor = [[Fourth Indira Gandhi ministry]]
}}

The '''Charan Singh ministry''' was a [[Union Council of Ministers|union council of ministers]] of [[India]], headed by the prime minister of India, [[Charan Singh|Chaudhary Charan Singh]], that was formed after Singh was sworn in as prime minister of India on 28 July 1979, with outside support by the [[Indian National Congress]] and [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] of [[Indian Congress (Socialist)|Congress (Socialist)]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/forty-years-ago-august-21-1979-charan-govt-resigns-5921778/|title = Forty Years Ago, August 21, 1979: Charan Govt Resigns|date = 21 August 2019}}</ref><ref name=pm>{{cite news|title=Dour farm leader of 76 named as India's fifth PM|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nRQyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dqQFAAAAIBAJ&dq=charan%20singh%20becomes%20prime%20minister&pg=3913%2C3452059|accessdate=29 May 2014|newspaper=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|date=27 July 1979|agency=AP|location=New Delhi|page=8}}</ref>

== History ==
[[Morarji Desai]] resigned as prime minister of India on 28 July 1979 due to internal conflicts within the [[Janata Party]], the party that was a coalition of various factions, united primarily to oppose [[Indira Gandhi]], and faced several ideological and personal differences after coming to power in 1977.

One of the key issues was the growing tension between [[Morarji Desai|Desai]] and [[Charan Singh]], who was the deputy prime minister and home minister of India at that time. Singh and his faction largely represented farmers and rural interests, accusing Desai of favoring industrialists and failing to address agrarian concerns. This crisis escalated when the [[Janata Party|Janata party]] split, with [[Charan Singh]] breaking away with his [[Lokdal|Lok Dal]] faction. Losing majority support in parliament, Desai was forced to resign on 28 July 1979.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-15 |title=From HT Archives: Morarji Desai stepsdown as PM amid Janata Party crisis |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fall-of-the-janata-party-desai-steps-down-amidst-resignations-and-no-confidence-motion-threat-101689361478131.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250110125630/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fall-of-the-janata-party-desai-steps-down-amidst-resignations-and-no-confidence-motion-threat-101689361478131.html |archive-date=2025-01-10 |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-16 |title=Forty years ago, July 16, 1979: Desai resigns |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/forty-years-ago-july-16-1979-desai-resigns-5831110/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-07-16 |title=From the Archives (July 17, 1969): Morarji Desai resigns |url=https://www.thehindu.com/archives/from-the-archives-july-17-1969-morarji-desai-resigns/article28491110.ece |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

[[File:President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy swearing in Ch. Charan Singh as PM.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|President [[Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy]] swearing in Singh as PM]]

After Desai’s resignation, president [[Neelam Sanjiva Reddy|Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy]] invited [[Charan Singh]] to form a new government, which he did with external support from [[Indian National Congress|Indira Gandhi Congress (I)]], and the Charan Singh ministry was formed on 28 July 1979.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aron |first=Sunita |date=2019-07-20 |title=Charan Singh — the only Indian PM who did not face Parliament even once |url=https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/charan-singh-the-only-indian-pm-who-did-not-face-parliament-even-once/265331/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

However, before [[Charan Singh]] could prove majority in parliament, [[Indira Gandhi]] withdrew her support after Singh said that his government would not drop cases against her, which had been initiated after the [[The Emergency (India)|emergency]] (1975-1977), leading to his resignation after just 23 days in office, becoming the only prime minister of India who didn't faced the parliament and Singh continued as caretaker prime minister until 14 January 1980.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Times |first=Michael T. Kaufman; Special to The New York |date=1979-08-21 |title=Singh's Resignation After 24 Days Leaves Indian Politics in Turmoil |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/08/21/archives/singhs-resignation-after-24-days-leaves-indian-politics-in-turmoil.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-21 |title=Forty Years Ago, August 21, 1979: Charan Govt Resigns |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/forty-years-ago-august-21-1979-charan-govt-resigns-5921778/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==List of Ministers==
===Cabinet Ministers===
{{Cabinet table start|hiderefcol=y}}
!Remarks
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] And also in-charge of all other important portfolios and policy issues not allocated to any Minister.
| minister1 = [[Charan Singh]]<ref name = pm /><ref name="ministers79">{{cite web|title=Press Communique|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/CABINATE%20SECRETARIATE/1979%20CABINET%20SECTT%20JAN%20%20DEC/CAB-1979-07-31_062.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=31 July 1979|accessdate=24 April 2020}}</ref>
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Deputy Prime Minister of India|Deputy Prime Minister]] [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Yashwantrao Chavan]]<ref name = pm />
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister of External Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Finance (India)|Minister of Finance]]
| minister1 = [[Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 19 October 1979
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
| minister2 = [[Charan Singh]]
| minister2_termstart = 19 October 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_ref=
| minister2_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| minister1 = [[Chidambaram Subramaniam]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Agriculture (India)|Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation]]
| minister1 = [[Brahm Prakash (politician)|Brahm Prakash]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Minister of Information and Broadcasting]]
| minister1 = [[Purushottam Kaushik]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India)|Minister of Health and Family Welfare]]
| minister1 = [[Rabi Ray]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India)|Minister of Works, Housing, Supply and Rehabilitation]]
| minister1 = [[Ram Kinkar]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 28 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Law and Justice (India)|Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[H. R. Khanna]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 3 August 1979
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
| minister2 = [[Shyam Nath Kacker]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister2_termstart = 3 August 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Minister of Commerce and Civil Supplies]]
| minister1 = [[Hitendra Desai]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Steel (India)|Minister of Steel]], [[Ministry of Mines (India)|Mines and]] [[Ministry of Coal (India)|Coal]]
| minister1 = [[Biju Patnaik]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Tourism (India)|Minister of Tourism and]] [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Civil Aviation]]
| minister1 = [[Mohammad Shafi Qureshi]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Labour and Employment (India)|Minister of Labour]]
| minister1 = Fazlur Rahman<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of Education and Culture]]
| minister1 = [[Karan Singh]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of Education, Social Welfare and Culture]]
| minister1 = [[Karan Singh]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 19 August 1979
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
| minister1_ref = {{small|Bifurcated into Ministry of Education and Culture; and Ministry of Social Welfare.}}
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of Education and Culture]]
| minister1 = [[Karan Singh]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 19 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]]
| minister1 = [[T. A. Pai]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Power (India)|Minister of Power]]
| minister1 = [[K. C. Pant]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Minister of Industry]]
| minister1 = [[Kasu Brahmananda Reddy]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 27 November 1979
| minister1_ref=
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
| minister2 = [[T. A. Pai]]
| minister2_termstart = 27 November 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_ref=
| minister2_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment|Minister of Social Welfare]]
| minister1 = [[Sathiavani Muthu]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 19 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 23 December 1979
| minister1_party = AIADMK
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers|Minister of Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilizers]]
| minister1 = [[Aravinda Bala Pajanor]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 19 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 23 December 1979
| minister1_party = AIADMK
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Communications (India)|Minister of Communications]]
| minister1 = [[Zulfiquarulla]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 4 December 1979
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
| minister1_ref = {{small|Minister of State was responsible.}}
| minister2 = [[Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister2_termstart = 7 December 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_ref=
| minister2_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Minority Affairs|Minister of Muslim Waqfs]]
| minister1 = [[Zulfiquarulla]]<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 4 December 1979
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
| minister1_ref = {{small|Minister of State was responsible.}}
| minister2 = Fazlur Rahman<ref name="ministers79"/>
| minister2_termstart = 7 December 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table end}}

===Ministers of State (with Independent Charge)===
{{Cabinet table start|hiderefcol=y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Road Transport and Highways|Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping and Transport]]
| minister1 = [[Janeshwar Mishra]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Rural Development (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Reconstruction]]
| minister1 = [[Bhanu Pratap Singh]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs]]
| minister1 = K. Gopal
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table end}}

===Ministers of State===
{{Cabinet table start|hiderefcol=y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Dhanik Lal Mandal]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence]]
| minister1 = Jagbir Singh
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Civil Supplies]]
| minister1 = [[Henry Austin (Indian politician)|Henry Austin]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Culture and Social Welfare]]
| minister1 = [[Rashida Haque Choudhury]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 24 August 1979
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Culture]]
| minister1 = [[Rashida Haque Choudhury]]
| minister1_termstart = 24 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Communications (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications]]
| minister1 = [[Narsingh Yadav]]
| minister1_termstart = 30 July 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
| minister2 = [[Tukaram Shrangare]]
| minister2_termstart = 31 July 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Steel (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel]], [[Ministry of Mines (India)|Mines]] and [[Ministry of Coal (India)|Coal]]
| minister1 = [[V. Kishore Chandra Deo]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
| minister2 = [[P. M. Sayeed]]
| minister2_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Agriculture (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation]]
| minister1 = [[Nathuram Mirdha]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 25 October 1979
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
| minister2 = [[M. V. Krishnappa]]
| minister2_termstart = 25 October 1979
| minister2_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister2_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Bedabrata Barua]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Janata Party (Secular)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry]]
| minister1 = [[B. Rachaiah]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Tourism (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism and]] [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Civil Aviation]]
| minister1 = [[P. Ankineedu Prasada Rao]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers|Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilizers]]
| minister1 = [[Saugata Roy]]
| minister1_termstart = 4 August 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister of Finance (India)|Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance]]
| minister1 = [[Nathuram Mirdha]]
| minister1_termstart = 25 October 1979
| minister1_termend = 14 January 1980
| minister1_party = Indian National Congress (Urs)
}}
{{Cabinet table end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian federal ministries}}

[[Category:Indian union ministries]]
[[Category:Charan Singh administration]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1980 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1979]]
[[Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1980]]
[[Category:Janata Party (Secular)]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress (U)]]
[[Category:All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
[[Category:Indian ministries established in 1979]]
[[Category:Indian ministries disestablished in 1980]]

Charan Singh ministry - Revision history

VYVEwan7971 at 03:04, 6 February 2026