Shankar Dayal Sharma of the Indian National Congress served as chief minister of Bhopal state from 1952 to 1956.

As a result of the Indian Independence Act 1947, the princely states were released from their treaty obligations to the British and were left to decide whether to join one of the new dominions of India and Pakistan.

However, agitations against his rule broke out in December 1948, leading to the arrest of prominent leaders including Shankar Dayal Sharma.

On 23 January 1949, Sharma was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment for violating restrictions on public meetings; some other satyagrahis were also arrested.

Later, the political detainees were released and on 30 April 1949 the Nawab signed an Instrument of Accession to the Dominion of India.