First Ghosh ministry
First Ministry of Prafulla Chandra Ghose | |
|---|---|
 1st Ministry of West Bengal | |
| 1947–1948 | |
| Date formed | 3 July 1947 |
| Date dissolved | 22 January 1948 |
| People and organisations | |
| Governor | Chakravarti Rajagopalachari |
| Prime Minister | Prafulla Chandra Ghosh |
| No. of ministers | 9 |
| Ministers removed | 4 |
| Total no. of members | 13 |
| Member party | INC |
| Status in legislature | Majority 83 / 90 (92%) |
| History | |
| Election | 1946 |
| Outgoing election | 1937 |
| Legislature term | 1st West Bengal Assembly |
| Predecessor | Suhrawardy ministry |
| Successor | First Roy ministry |
The 1st Council of Ministers for the state of West Bengal was formed under the leadership of Prafulla Chandra Ghosh. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of West Bengal for the first time on 15 August 1947,[1] although the cabinet was sworn in on 3 July 1947.[2]
Background
[edit]During 1940s, the Pakistan Resolution of the All-India Muslim League (AIML) was gaining popularity among the Muslims of the Bengal Province of British India, and the political party itself was growing in influence. The party won in the 1946 Bengal Legislative Assembly election, and on 24 April 1946, Suhrawardy ministry was formed under the leadership of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, leader of the party's provincial branch.[3] In 1947, the Indian National Congress (INC) and the AIML agreed to the partition of India, leading to the creation of the modern states of India and Pakistan. In 20 June of the same year, when an election was held regarding the second partition of Bengal, the majority of votes in the Bengal Legislative Assembly were in favor of the partition. However, at that time, Suhrawardy's cabinet remained in Calcutta, the capital of Bengal Province.[4] In 3 July, under the leadership of Prafulla Chandra Ghosh, the leader of the provincial branch of the INC, a shadow cabinet was formed for the future state of West Bengal.[5] In 18 July, the Indian Independence Act was passed in the Parliament of the United Kingdom and received royal assent, clearing the way for the partition of Bengal Province into the Indian state of West Bengal and the Pakistani province of East Bengal.[4] On 15 August 1947, following India's independence, the shadow cabinet of West Bengal became the state's first official government.[5]
Dissolution
[edit]In December 1947, members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly expressed their no-confidence in him and signed a paper demanding Bidhan Chandra Roy as the new leader of the West Bengal Provincial Congress Party, which was given to Ghosh by Ghanshyam Das Birla. After losing support, Ghosh stepped down as the leader of the Provincial Congress Party on 15 January 1948 and resigned from the post of prime minister six days later. Roy succeeded Ghosh as the new leader of the Provincial Congress Party and the new prime minister of West Bengal.[5] On 23 January 1948, Ghosh's cabinet was replaced by First Roy ministry.[6]
Members
[edit]The cabinet was composed of the following ministers:[2][7]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office of the Prime Minister | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 | |
| Department of Finance, Health and Local Self-Government | 22 January 1948 | ||
| Department of Commerce, Labor and Education | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 | |
| Department of Land and Revenue | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 | |
| Department of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 | |
| Department of Cooperatives, Loans and Relief | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 | |
| Department of Irrigation, Works, Housing and Waterways | 22 January 1948 | ||
| Department of Civil Supplies | 22 January 1948 | ||
| Department of Justice and Law | 3 July 1947 | 22 January 1948 |
Former members
[edit]| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Finance | 3 July 1947 | N/A | [2] | |
| Department of Health | 4 July 1947 | N/A | [2] | |
| Department of Civil Supplies | 3 July 1947 | N/A | [2] | |
| Department of Irrigation, Works, Housing and Waterways | 3 July 1947 | N/A | [2] |
References
[edit]- ^ Biswas, Suman (21 March 2024). "Knowledge Story: বলুন তো, পশ্চিমবঙ্গের প্রথম মুখ্যমন্ত্রী কে ছিলেন? অধিকাংশ মানুষই কিন্তু ভুল জানেন, আপনি জানেন?". News18 Bangla (in Bengali).
- ^ a b c d e f "PORTFOLIOS OF NEW MINISTERS Dr. Ghosh As Chief Minister With Home". Amrita Bazar Patrika. 4 July 1947. p. 1.
- ^ Dutta, Satya Brata (2002). "মুসলিম লীগ মন্ত্রিসভা ও সাম্প্রদায়িক রাজনীতি (১৯৪৩-১৯৪৭) : ১৩৫০-এর দুর্ভিক্ষ, ১৯৪৬-এর দাঙ্গা". বাংলার বিধানসভার একশো বছর রাজানুগত্য থেকে গণতন্ত্র (in Bengali). Kolkata: Progressive Publishers. pp. 161–173.
- ^ a b Mamun, Muntassir; Rahman, Md. Mahbubar (2015) [2014]. "অখণ্ড বাংলা গঠনের প্রয়াস ও উপমহাদেশের বিভক্তি, ১৯৪৭". স্বাধীন বাংলাদেশের অভ্যুদয়ের ইতিহাস (in Bengali). Suborna. p. 49–50. ISBN 9789849069447.
- ^ a b c Bala, Babulal. "Role of Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh as Head of the Shadow Ministry and First Ministry of West Bengal (3rd July 1947 - 22nd January 1948) - An Analytical Review" (PDF). Journal of People's History and Culture. 10 (3). Kolkata: Garia Society for Studies of Marginal People.
- ^ "শুক্রবার প্রাতে পশ্চিম বঙ্গের নূতন মন্ত্রিমণ্ডলীর শপথ গ্রহণ". Jugantar Patrika (in Bengali). 24 January 1948. p. 1.
- ^ "Bengal Legislative Assembly Proceedings (1947-48) Vol. 1" (Document). Kolkata: West Bengal Government Press. p. iii.