Kamaraj Plan; M. Bhaktavatsalam becomes Chief Minister

2 Oct 1963 to 5 Mar 1967 · Chennai

Kamaraj resigned as Chief Minister under his plan for senior leaders to work for the party, and M. Bhaktavatsalam succeeded him.

Under the Kamaraj Plan, senior Congress ministers resigned their posts to devote themselves to strengthening the party organisation. K. Kamaraj himself stepped down as Chief Minister of Madras State on 2 October 1963. M. Bhaktavatsalam, previously finance and education minister, succeeded him the same day and served until 5 March 1967. Kamaraj became president of the Indian National Congress in 1964 and played a key role in the choice of Lal Bahadur Shastri and later Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister.

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