Early Life

• 1914 - born
• Father Krishna PK was a Gandhi follower --> became interested in politics early on
•  1917-29 - whole family was in exile in India (Banaras --> Bihar); property confiscated
• 1930 - The British arrested him (and his brother) for having contacts with terrorists; set free +3months
• 1932 - completed IA studies in Banaras
• 1934 - completed BA in economics and politics in Banaras
• Joined Indian National Congress 
• 1937 - completed a Law degree in Calcutta 

• BP (and his family) had to bear economic hardships in exile; (ex: sold newspaper, ate kudo, his younger brother died from diarrhea)
• He was involved in politics from early on, with struggle against British 

Political Career

Founding of National Congress Party

• 1947 founded from India to bring change in Nepal; seeing India will soon be free

Struggle against Ranas

• 1947-8:
• Imprisonment b/c led labor demonstration
• 1951
• Led armed revolution of 1951 to overthrow Ranas
• Became home minister  
• Until Nov 1951 (Mohan Shamsher PM) 
• After Nov 1951 (Matrika P Koirala PM) 
• 1955: Tribhuvan died, Mahendra became king 

• India's backing was big for BP for his struggle against Ranas (Mahendra Shamsher)
• BP continuously communicated with Nehru. 
• His in-prison fasting was recognized in India and pressure was building against Nepali Ranas
• Bihar was willing to provide a plane for flying BP's wife to meet BP in prison. This would have been a big shame point for Ranas
• India hid Nepali King in the embassy 
• Indian security authorities facilitated BP to transport arms across the border (with deniability) for armed revolution
• Indian tried extremely hard to hide the fact that they were not involved in supporting armed revolution  
• BP and the relationship with the King in removing Ranas
• Coordinated with the King (and some Ranas in Palpa) in preparation for an armed revolution
• Developed strategy to help King escape Nepal... (King hid in the Indian embassy)
• BP declared that the Rana government is illegitimate after the King escaped; Ranas put Gyanendra in power
• Then BP led armed revolution
• Coordinated logistics for the war, including transporting arms, storing arms, money...
• Militants - Ajad Hind and ex-military
• High Command - BP and Subarna Shamsher (studied Military strategy)
• Military Command - Yak Thumba, Puran Sing (Ajad Hind) 
• East (Birgunj): KI Sing, Girja, Bishwobandu, Tarini
• Not well trained, lost many lives 
• Ranas finally gave up and there was a meeting between Ranas and India to build a consensus government sharing power between the two groups 

BP in the new democratic government and struggles that followed

• (1951) BP had to start with institution building and reconciliation with traditional centers of power
• When BP started, the offices, departments, ministries were of low quality. A tremendous amount of energy was required in institution design, reconciliation with old forces, stabilizing military power, maintaining law and order, and staying wary of Ranas' anti-government activities
• Military was not completely in good relationship with the new government 
• India switched sides: now it supported Ranas to counter BP's rise in influence
• Indian Ambassador made frequent visits to the palace and "acted like he was king"
• India switched sides, now supporting Mohan Shamsher
• Indian Ambassador tried to cause conflict between Tribhuvan and BP by bringing up things like the army giving canon-salute, which is reserved for King, to a home-minister 
• Ranas were still powerful, and were acting out and becoming a threat to the government
• Mohan Shamsher sent a mob (Gorkha Dal) to attack BP, who ended up killing one of the attackers with his Pistol
• Inter-party dynamics was also not favorable
• Party-chairman (BP's brother MPK) said bad things about Home Ministry
• Wanted special provisions, such as cars while he was chairman
• BP had disagreements in 4 areas (after MPK became PM) 
• King: MPK said King gave the government to the people; BP believed that King came from revolution; King has to be held within the realms of constitution
• Land reforms: MPK believed in status-quo - a) we don't have legal power b) it will add to crisis;
• India: BP said we should be wary of India and kept at good distance not too close
• Govt Accountability: BP: Government should be answerable to Party not just the king
• MPK created a new party (Rastriya Praja Party - 1951) with the help from Tribhuvan
• After Tribhuvan died in 1955, MPK lost a big ally 
• Not supported by his own party
• Party, King thought BP was soft on PM (a Rana) for not asking latter to resign; he didn't think PM needed to be removed

Uncertain democratic experiment and sharing of political powers

• 1959
• Mahendra introduced a new constitution and free parliamentary elections
• NC Party won, BP became Prime Minister
• 1960
• Mahendra suspended constitution, dissolved parliament, dismissed the cabinet, imposed direct rule, and imprisoned BP (b/c BP's new policies  were going against traditional centers of power - King, aristocrats, landlords, bureaucrats)
• 1960-68: imprisoned
• 1968: PM Surya Bdr Thapa helped in his release
• Then he lived in exile in Banaras

• New constitution defined how power was to be shared between King and the Parliament; now King was also made responsible; written by Sir Ivor Jenneings 
• BP developed close relationship with Mahendra
• PM BP offered agreeable framework for institutional development to the King; King was happy with BP's principles
• King tried to show the outside world that there was conflict between the two, but, inside, Mahendra was very impressed and close to BP
• Institutions and bureaucracy (What was the true state of political system)?  
• But, things fell apart - Mahendra's coup
• BP was confused why Mahendra had a coup... he thought it was a mistake 
• There were conspiracies to infuse conflict - "Jogi" went around stirring up people against the government, showing approval of the King
• King was losing power at the same time and may have wanted to show his power
• Some of the reasons cited (not by BP):
• BP's government was a failure
• "Political leaders became power-mongers"

A new king and a potential change?

• 1972: Birendra became king
• 1976-78: Birendra arrested BP for treason and imprisoned him
• 1978: cancer treatment in the US
• 1979: BP tried for a "national reconciliation"
• Under house arrest (for participating in a student demonstration)
• Birendra announced National Referendum (BP welcomed) 
• Results --> King rule (Panchayat system)  
• BP accepted ppl's verdict, welcomed results 
• 1981: Boycotted election results, b/c of unfair election process
• 1982: Addressed a large public meeting in Ratna Park
• 1982 (July) Died

• Public Address - NC needs to promote both nationalism & democracy
• Increasing threat to sovereignty of Nepal
• Due to individualism, immigration, lack of unity
• "Before we focused only on democracy. But now the next big responsibility for NC is to promote nationalism AND democracy simultaneously." Only following one can lead to shallow nationalism propaganda or fall in the trap of international power
• It's time for reconciliation and be united with the vision - "rastra rahey janta rahanchhan"