In Pama, local Rajput landlords of the Pama village in Bihar attacked a Kurmi village, leading to police atrocities against backward-class citizens; Mandal made headlines in newspapers all across the nation for requesting immediate government action against the police and compensation for victims during the Bihar assembly session.

[9] Subsequently, he fought and won Lok Sabha elections in Bihar on the ticket of the Samyukta Socialist Party and was appointed to head the Ministry of Health in State Government.

[9] Though the government lasted only 47 days, this radical shift in the representation paradigm brought a new spirit in Indian politics.

Mandal teamed up with Jayaprakash Narayan and resigned from the Bihar Assembly, protesting a corrupt Congress administration.

In 1977, he contested Lok Sabha elections from Madhepura constituency on a Janata Party ticket and won, serving until 1979.

[9][clarification needed] In December 1978, Prime Minister Morarji Desai appointed a five-member civil rights commission, with Mandal as chairman.

[9] The commission's report was completed in 1980 and recommended that a significant proportion of all government and educational places be reserved for applicants from the Other Backward Classes.