Charan Singh was sworn in as Prime Minister on 28 July 1979, with outside support by Indira Congress and Yashwantrao Chavan of Congress (Socialist) faction as his Deputy PM. Just before Singh was to prove his majority in Lok Sabha, Indira Gandhi withdrew support to his government, and he resigned on 20 August 1979, after just 23 days, becoming the only PM who didn't face the parliament. He advised President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy to dissolve Lok Sabha. Janata Party leader Jagjivan Ram challenged the advice and sought time to cobble support. But Lok Sabha was dissolved, and Charan Singh continued as caretaker PM until January 1980.

Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan was an Indian freedom fighter and politician. He served as the last Chief Minister of Bombay State and the first of Maharashtra after latter was created by the division of Bombay state. His last significant ministerial post was as the Deputy Prime Minister of India in the short lived Charan Singh government in 1979.