KATHMANDU: On July 26, 1957, then-King Mahendra addressed the nation over Radio Nepal at three in the afternoon— ‘We have announced a cabinet of 11 members under the leadership of Dr. Kunwar Inderjit (K.I.) Singh, president of the United Democratic Party.’

In that address, Mahendra did not forget to mention his firm desire for the foundation of the democratic system to be well established in the country, and that he formed a new cabinet under the leadership of K.I. Singh as direct rule was not in line with his wishes. However, before the cabinet he himself had formed could complete even five months of work, he dismissed Singh from the position of Prime Minister.

On December 14, 1957, another royal proclamation came— ‘It is a fact known to all that governments have been formed from time to time after the change of 1950 and have had to be dissolved for various reasons. Everyone has also consistently said that the work of nation-building cannot proceed smoothly with constant changes in the government. Therefore, we had wished and hoped from time to time that the government would not have to be dissolved if possible, but we regret having to dissolve the existing government now.’

When the cabinet was formed under Singh’s leadership, King Mahendra had announced it would be an election government. But what happened in the interim that caused the King to remove the government he himself had formed in just four months and 19 days?

King Mahendra’s step to remove K.I. Singh from the post of Prime Minister was as surprising as his decision to appoint him Prime Minister. Singh was the very person who led a rebellion against the democratic system in 1952 during the reign of King Tribhuvan.

The Singha Durbar was captured for 24 hours under his leadership. After this incident, Singh fled to Tibet and stayed under the protection of the Chinese government for three and a half years. At that time, diplomatic relations between Nepal and China had not yet been established.

Furthermore, Nepal had refused to recognize Tibet as a part of China. In such a situation, it was natural for everyone to be surprised by King Mahendra’s decision to appoint Singh, who had received political asylum from China, as Prime Minister.

103-year-old Lila Prasad Lohani, who contested the first parliamentary election of 1959 on behalf of the Nepali National Congress, recalls, “Before being appointed Prime Minister, he had been charged with sedition. But King Mahendra withdrew his case and made him Prime Minister. Parties like the Nepali Congress, Nepal Praja Parishad, Rashtriya Praja Party, and Nepali National Congress were active within the country. But what compelled the King to appoint him Prime Minister, who had formed a new party within two years of returning from China, none of us could understand.”

While Singh was still seeking refuge in China, then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited China on October 21, 1954. That visit by Nehru was the first by any head of state after the establishment of the Communist regime in China.

During this visit, Nehru criticized the Chinese policy of granting asylum to Singh. In a letter sent by Nehru to the then-Prime Minister of Burma (now Myanmar), U Nu, on November 14, 1954, it is mentioned— ‘I raised the issue that K.I. Singh, a Nepali citizen who rebelled against his own government, was receiving encouragement in China. This kind of matter creates suspicion in the minds of Asian countries.’

In response to Nehru’s dissatisfaction, then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai said— ‘K.I. Singh entered the borders of China, along with some others carrying arms and ammunition. According to international practice, they were disarmed and granted asylum; nothing more has been done. He has not been allowed to participate in any political activity against his own country.’

After seeking political asylum in China, Singh repeatedly attempted to meet with the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong. But, fearing Nehru’s displeasure, Mao refused to meet Singh. Premier Zhou, however, did meet Singh, as stated by Xia Dengjun, during an interview with Chinese writer Shi Zhuan.

He said, ‘Premier Zhou was even preparing to send him to North Korea and the Soviet Union (Russia).’ At a time when there were no treaties or agreements with Nepal and India, China gave Singh great importance. But, Zhou also backed down after receiving information that the American intelligence agency (CIA) was monitoring his activities.

In this context, an agreement was reached between Nepal and China in 1955 AD when Tanka Prasad Acharya was Prime Minister. Following this, Singh returned to Kathmandu with the active involvement of King Mahendra himself.

Singh was grandly welcomed upon entering the capital on September 13, 1955. His welcome was no less than that of a conqueror. “His welcome was like returning victorious from a war. “He was welcomed with a grand rally and the vibrant Sindur Jatra—a carnival where bright red-orange vermilion powder is applied to honor someone. ‘It was easy to see where such a massive crowd came from,’ Lohani says.”

Singh was granted general amnesty two days before entering Kathmandu. The royal proclamation on September 13, 1955 stated, ‘Since he has been absconding for three and a half years, and has now returned to Nepal and unconditionally surrendered and requested for pardon through a written petition assuring loyalty to the King and the country, we have, using our royal prerogative, dismissed the government charges against him and granted pardon to him, K.I. Singh, and his associates.’

Singh also announced his loyalty to the country and the King during the city procession. Within two months of this, he established the United Democratic Party and became King Mahendra’s first choice when the new cabinet was formed in 1957 AD.

Within a week of being appointed Prime Minister, he made big announcements. He announced an investigation into all corruption scandals since 1951 AD and the abolition of the practice of serving alcohol at state parties and serving tea during cabinet meetings.

His cabinet included stalwarts like Great Poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Devkota was the Minister of Education and Local Self-Government. The cabinet was running quite well, but was suddenly dissolved.

Hemanta Shamsher Rana, former professor at Tribhuvan University and historian, says, “Although the government appeared to be running smoothly on the outside, K.I. Singh was secretly engaged in a campaign to overthrow the King himself.”

It turns out he had talked to former Police Chief Nar Shamsher Rana, who was close to the palace, about removing King Mahendra from the throne.

Hemanta, who is also the author of Nar Shamsher’s autobiography, says, “He (K.I. Singh) tried to persuade Nar by saying— ‘These people (the King) are descendants of Kantiwati; they are not pure Thakuris like you and me. I am also a Thakuri, and you are also aThakuri. Let’s unite. Let’s remove them.'”

During the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah, a Maithili Brahmin woman came from Janakpur for the Darshan (visit) of Pashupatinath. Fascinated by her beauty, Rana Bahadur married her on the condition that their children would be given charge of the kingdom. This is what K.I. Singh told Nar Shamsher.

But, Nar Shamsher, who was taken aback by Singh’s proposal, went to the palace the very next day and told the King about it. “King Mahendra was already angry, and upon hearing the news that his throne was being targeted, he became furious. The very next day, he dissolved K.I. Singh’s cabinet through a royal proclamation,” says Hemant.

After this incident, the palace devised a strategy regarding Singh— neither to keep him too close nor too far.