Bhairon Singh Shekhawat

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Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Vice President of India
In office
19 August 2002 – 21 July 2007
President Abdul Kalam
Preceded by Krishan Kant
Succeeded by Mohammad Hamid Ansari
Chief Minister of Rajasthan
In office
4 December 1993 – 29 November 1998
Governor Bali Ram Bhagat
Darbara Singh
Navrang Lal Tibrewal (Acting)
Preceded by President's rule
Succeeded by Ashok Gehlot
In office
4 March 1990 – 15 December 1992
Governor Sukhdev Prasad
Milap Chand Jain (Acting)
Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya
Swarup Singh (Acting)
Marri Chenna Reddy
Preceded by Hari Dev Joshi
Succeeded by President's rule
In office
22 June 1977 – 16 February 1980
Governor Raghukul Tilak
Preceded by Hari Dev Joshi
Succeeded by Jagannath Pahadia
Personal details
Born (1923-10-23)23 October 1923
Sikar, Rajputana Agency, British India
(now in Rajasthan, India)
Died 15 May 2010(2010-05-15) (aged 86)
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party (1980–present)
Other political
affiliations		 Bharatiya Jana Sangh (Before 1977)
Janata Party (1977–1980)
Spouse(s) Shrimati Suraj Kanwar
Religion Hinduism
Signature

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (23 October 1923 – 15 May 2010) was the 11th Vice-President of India. He served in that position from August 2002, when he was elected to a five-year term by the electoral college following the death of Krishan Kant, until he resigned on July 21, 2007, after losing the presidential election to Pratibha Patil. Shekhawat was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a leading member of the National Democratic Alliance at the time of election. He served as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan three times, from 1977 to 1980, 1990 to 1992 and 1993 to 1998.

Political life

Referred to as "Rajasthan ka ek hi Singh" (The only lion of Rajasthan) or "Babosa" (Head of the family of Rajasthan), Bhairon Singh Shekhawat entered politics in 1952. Although he posed a threat to the Indian National Congress (INC) in Rajasthan, that party prevailed until 1977. In that year his Janata Party won 151 of the 200 seats in the state assembly elections of Rajasthan and Shekhawat took over as the first non Congress Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 1977.

There was a split in 1980 and Shekhawat joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The fragmentation of opposition to the INC enabled it to win the elections of 1980 and 1984. However, in 1989 an alliance between the BJP and the Janata Dal won all 25 of the Rajasthan seats in the Lok Sabha and also 140 seats in the Assembly. Shekhawat once again became Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

In the next elections in the year 1993, after the split in the alliance, Shekhawat led the BJP to be the single largest party, winning 96 seats. Three BJP-supported independents also won seats and other independents who supported the BJP took its total to 116. The support of independent members enabled Shekhawat to overcome Congress opposition to his attempts to form a government.

Shekhawat's BJP government lost the 1998 state assembly elections due to the onion price rise issue but the party won 16 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats from Rajasthan in 1999. Shekhawat was elected as the Vice President of India in 2002, when he defeated the opposition candidate, Sushil Kumar Shinde by a margin of 149 votes out of the 750 votes polled.

In July 2007, Shekhawat fought the Presidential election as an independent candidate backed by National Democratic Alliance as a popular Presidential candidate next to APJ Abdul Kalam; but lost to the United Progressive Alliance-Left backed candidate Pratibha Patil. Following his defeat, Shekhawat resigned from the post of Vice-President on 21 July 2007.

Administration

Shekhawat started the "Antyoday Yojna" scheme, which was intended to uplift the poorest of the poor. The chairman of the World Bank, Robert McNamara, referred to him as the Rockefeller of India.[1] Shekhawat was also known for his control over bureaucracy and the police. He had involvement in policies designed to improve literacy and industrialisation in Rajasthan, as well as tourism centred around the themes of heritage, wildlife and villages. He was also lauded by both, national and international leaders for his historic conduct of the Rajya Sabha.[citation needed]

Death

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat succumbed to cancer and age-related health problems, dying on 15 May 2010 at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur.[1] He was cremated the next day, at a plot of land provided by the government of Rajasthan, where his memorial is now built.[2]

Positions held

  • 1952–72 Member, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
  • 1974–77 Member, Rajya Sabha (Madhya Pradesh)
  • 1977–2002 Member, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
  • 22 June 1977 – 16 February 1980 Chief Minister of Rajasthan
  • 1980–90 Leader of the Opposition, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
  • 4 March 1990 – 15 December 1992 Chief Minister of Rajasthan (second term)
  • 4 December 1993 – 29 November 1998 Chief Minister of Rajasthan (third term)
  • December 1998–August 2002 Leader of the Opposition, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
  • 19 August 2002 – 21 July 2007 Vice-President of India and ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat dead". The Times of India. PTI. 15 May 2010. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  2. ↑ "Thousands bid farewell to Shekhawat". The Hindu. 2010-05-17. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 

External links

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Political offices
Preceded by
Hari Dev Joshi		 Chief Minister of Rajasthan
1977–1980 		Succeeded by
Jagannath Pahadia
Chief Minister of Rajasthan
1990–1992 		Succeeded by
President's rule
Preceded by
President's rule		 Chief Minister of Rajasthan
1993–1998 		Succeeded by
Ashok Gehlot
Preceded by
Krishan Kant		 Vice President of India
2002–2007 		Succeeded by
Mohammad Hamid Ansari
Authority control
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