Brahmanand Mandal
Encyclopedia
Brahmanand Mandal is a Bihar
i politician who served as a member of the Lok Sabha
from Munger constituency for three terms under three different political parties: in 1991
, as a member of the Communist Party of India
, in 1996
under the Samata Party
, and re-elected in 1999
as part of Janata Dal (United)
.
, in the Munger district
of Bihar. He was educated at Parbatta College of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University
in Parbatta
, and worked as a farmer.
From 1964, he was a member of the Communist Party of India; by 1970, a member of the CPI State Council in Bihar. Mandal led the Bekari Ke Sawal Par Andolan in 1969 and was jailed; also led Bhoomi Mukti Andolan from 1970-71; and describes himself has having "struggled for social causes and suffered imprisonment." He led agitation against Taufir Kand in which nine persons were killed and four hundred houses were burnt in 1986, and succeeded in convicting the guilty through a special court; and also led agitation against Tirasi Hatya Kand in which five persons were kidnapped and murdered in 1990 and helped in
the arrest of guilty persons.
on the CPI ticket, and served on first on the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, then on the Standing Committee; in 1994, he became a Member of the Standing Committee on Railways. In 1996, he joined George Fernandes
' Samata Party
and became a member of their National Executive. He was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha
, in which he served as the Samata Chief Whip
, and as a member of the Committee on Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution, and of the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways. He became Secretary General of the Samata Party of Bihar, and the All India Secretary General of the Samata Party. He was not elected to the 12th Lok Sabha
, losing to Bijoy Kumar Bijoy of Rashtriya Janata Dal
; but was once more elected to the 13th Lok Sabha
(defeating Bijoy Kumar Bijoy 346,615 (49.15%) to 46.05% 324,800 (46.05%).
In the 13th Lok Sabha Mandal served as Deputy Chief Whip for the JD(U) Parliamentary Party, and as a member of the Committee on Finance, Committee on Government Assurances, and Joint Committee on Patents (Second Amendment) Bill, 1999, and (from 2000 onwards) the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
, the president of the Samata Party, announced that the party would be completely merging with the Janata Dal (United)
, a minority in the SP led by Mandal refused to go along with the merger. The Election Commission of India
decided that the merger was not technically complete and so a faction was allowed to function under the Samata Party name. Mandal has served as president of the "old" Samata Party ever since.
He unsuccessfully ran in the 2006 by-election from Nalanda (Lok Sabha constituency)
in 2006; and ran for the 15th Lok Sabha
in Munger as an independent, but was not successful, coming in with less than 1% of the vote
He has published one book, Monghyr Ka Vikas aur Ganga Pul, and booklets on “Monghyr Vikas Aur Sangharsh”
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
i politician who served as a member of the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from Munger constituency for three terms under three different political parties: in 1991
Indian general election, 1991
General elections were held in India in 1991 to elect the members of the 10th Lok Sabha. The result of the election was that no party could get a majority, so a minority government was formed, resulting in a stable government for the next 5 years, under the new Prime Minister P.V...
, as a member of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
, in 1996
Indian general election, 1996
General elections were held in India in 1996 to elect the members of the 11th Lok Sabha. The result of the election was a hung parliament, which would see three Prime Ministers in two years and force the country back to the polls in 1998. The United Front, was created and got support from 332...
under the Samata Party
Samata Party
The Samata Party is a political party in India. Initially formed as an offshoot of the Janata Dal in 1994 by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. The reason given was that the Janata Dal had shifted to casteism...
, and re-elected in 1999
Indian general election, 1999
General Elections were held in India from September 5 to October 3, 1999, a few months after the Kargil War. The 13th Lok Sabha election is of historical importance as it was the first time a united front of parties managed to attain a majority and form a government that lasted a full term of five...
as part of Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal is a political party in India with political presence mainly in Bihar and Jharkhand. Janta Dal party mentor and patron is "Veteran Socialist leader" George Fernandes; George Fernandes broke away from the erstwhile Janata Dal and formed the Samata Party in 1994. Presently it is led...
.
Background
Mandal was born 14 January 1947 in Jhawa, KatiharKatihar
Katihar is a town situated in the north eastern part of Bihar state in India. It is headquarters of Katihar district.- Geography :Katihar is located at...
, in the Munger district
Munger District
Munger district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state in eastern India. Munger town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Munger district is a part of Munger Division. Its literacy rate of 73.3% is higher than the state literacy rate of 63.8% and lower than national...
of Bihar. He was educated at Parbatta College of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University
Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University
The Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, also known as Bhagalpur University, is a public university in Bhagalpur, Bihar, India. The school is named for famous freedom fighter Tilka Manjhi. The university was established on 12 July 1960 having local colleges initially associated to Patna University....
in Parbatta
Parbatta
Parbatta is a village in the Khagaria district of Bihar, India.It is the site of a branch of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University.It is 15 km from Pasraha railway station....
, and worked as a farmer.
From 1964, he was a member of the Communist Party of India; by 1970, a member of the CPI State Council in Bihar. Mandal led the Bekari Ke Sawal Par Andolan in 1969 and was jailed; also led Bhoomi Mukti Andolan from 1970-71; and describes himself has having "struggled for social causes and suffered imprisonment." He led agitation against Taufir Kand in which nine persons were killed and four hundred houses were burnt in 1986, and succeeded in convicting the guilty through a special court; and also led agitation against Tirasi Hatya Kand in which five persons were kidnapped and murdered in 1990 and helped in
the arrest of guilty persons.
Lok Sabha career
In 1991 he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha10th Lok Sabha
List of Members of the 10th Lok Sabha, elected during Indian general election, 1991 held during May-June 1991. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India.-Important members:* Speaker:...
on the CPI ticket, and served on first on the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, then on the Standing Committee; in 1994, he became a Member of the Standing Committee on Railways. In 1996, he joined George Fernandes
George Fernandes
George Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...
' Samata Party
Samata Party
The Samata Party is a political party in India. Initially formed as an offshoot of the Janata Dal in 1994 by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. The reason given was that the Janata Dal had shifted to casteism...
and became a member of their National Executive. He was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha
11th Lok Sabha
List of Members of the 11th Lok Sabha, elected during Indian general election, 1996 held during April-May 1996. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India.-Important members:* Speaker:...
, in which he served as the Samata Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
, and as a member of the Committee on Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution, and of the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways. He became Secretary General of the Samata Party of Bihar, and the All India Secretary General of the Samata Party. He was not elected to the 12th Lok Sabha
12th Lok Sabha
List of Members of the 12th Lok Sabha, after Indian general election, 1998 held during February-March 1998. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India.- Important members :* Speaker:...
, losing to Bijoy Kumar Bijoy of Rashtriya Janata Dal
Rashtriya Janata Dal
The Rashtriya Janata Dal is a political party in India, based in the state of Bihar. The party was founded in 1997 by Laloo Prasad Yadav. The party came about as a result of Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-president of Janata Dal, being evicted by Sharad Yadav, the then president, on corruption charges ...
; but was once more elected to the 13th Lok Sabha
13th Lok Sabha
The 13th Lok Sabha is the thirteenth session of the Lok Sabha...
(defeating Bijoy Kumar Bijoy 346,615 (49.15%) to 46.05% 324,800 (46.05%).
In the 13th Lok Sabha Mandal served as Deputy Chief Whip for the JD(U) Parliamentary Party, and as a member of the Committee on Finance, Committee on Government Assurances, and Joint Committee on Patents (Second Amendment) Bill, 1999, and (from 2000 onwards) the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Samata merger
When in October 2003, George FernandesGeorge Fernandes
George Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...
, the president of the Samata Party, announced that the party would be completely merging with the Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal is a political party in India with political presence mainly in Bihar and Jharkhand. Janta Dal party mentor and patron is "Veteran Socialist leader" George Fernandes; George Fernandes broke away from the erstwhile Janata Dal and formed the Samata Party in 1994. Presently it is led...
, a minority in the SP led by Mandal refused to go along with the merger. The Election Commission of India
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission is to conduct free and fair elections in India...
decided that the merger was not technically complete and so a faction was allowed to function under the Samata Party name. Mandal has served as president of the "old" Samata Party ever since.
He unsuccessfully ran in the 2006 by-election from Nalanda (Lok Sabha constituency)
Nalanda (Lok Sabha constituency)
Nalanda Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar state in eastern India.-Assembly segments:Presently, Nalanda Lok Lok Sabha constituency comprises the following seven Vidhan Sabha segments:# Asthawan# Biharsharif# Rajgir# Islampur# Hilsa# Nalanda# Harnaut-Members...
in 2006; and ran for the 15th Lok Sabha
15th Lok Sabha
Members of the 15th Lok Sabha were elected in 2009 during the General Elections in India.- Important members :* Speaker: Meira Kumar, Indian National Congress, Sasaram, Bihar...
in Munger as an independent, but was not successful, coming in with less than 1% of the vote
Personal life
On 19 December 1977, he married Kiran Kumari (Mandal); they have one son and one daughter. Their home is in Bekapur.He has published one book, Monghyr Ka Vikas aur Ganga Pul, and booklets on “Monghyr Vikas Aur Sangharsh”