RLD chief and former Union minister Ajit Singh dies of coronavirus
Jayant Chaudhary said his father had tested positive for the infection on April 20.
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief and former Union minister Chaudhary Ajit Singh died of the coronavirus on Thursday, his son and party leader Jayant Chaudhary said. He was 82.
Jayant Chaudhary said that his father tested positive for the infection on April 20 and died at 6 am on Thursday. “This is an extremely saddening time,” he tweeted. “Chaudhary Sahab [Ajit Singh] fought till the last moment.”
Singh was undergoing treatment at a Gurugram hospital for the coronavirus, reported India Today.
चौधरी साहब नहीं रहे!
— Jayant Chaudhary (@jayantrld) May 6, 2021
🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/7cnLkf0c6K
Singh, the son of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, was a seven-time MLA from the Baghpat constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Ajit Singh was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1986.
He was elected to Lok Sabha from Baghpat in 1989. In the same year, Singh was inducted as the Union minister of industry in the VP Singh government. He later joined the PV Narasimha Rao government as the food minister but resigned from the Congress in 1996.
Singh then formed the Rashtriya Lok Dal and joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government as the agriculture minister in 2001. He remained a part of the National Democratic Alliance government till May 2003.
In 2011, he joined the United Progressive Alliance and became the Union minister of civil aviation.
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief noting that Singh always raised his voice in favour of farmers and dedicated himself to their cause.
राष्ट्रीय लोकदल के प्रमुख और पूर्व केन्द्रीय मंत्री चौधरी अजित सिंह के निधन की सूचना से दुख हुआ। उन्होंने किसानों के हित में हमेशा आवाज उठायी। जनप्रतिनिधि व मंत्री के रूप में उन्होंने देश की राजनीति पर अलग छाप छोड़ी। उनके परिवार और शुभचिंतकों के प्रति मेरी शोक संवेदनाएं
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 6, 2021
पूर्व केंद्रीय मंत्री चौधरी अजित सिंह जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। वे हमेशा किसानों के हित में समर्पित रहे। उन्होंने केंद्र में कई विभागों की जिम्मेदारियों का कुशलतापूर्वक निर्वहन किया। शोक की इस घड़ी में मेरी संवेदनाएं उनके परिजनों और प्रशंसकों के साथ हैं। ओम शांति!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2021
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and other politicians also offered condolences.
राष्ट्रीय लोक दल प्रमुख अजित सिंह जी के असमय निधन का समाचार दुखद है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 6, 2021
उनके परिवार व प्रियजनों को मेरी संवेदनाएँ। pic.twitter.com/m4iZ9SAC93
Shocked to hear of the demise of Ajit Singh ji. I can’t begin to imagine what you are going through @jayantrld. I join my father, who had a long & warm association with your father, in sending our condolences & prayers.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 6, 2021
.@RLDparty supremo & Former Union Minister Chaudhary Ajit Singh is no more. My condolences to @jayantrld & family in this hour of grief. May his soul Rest in Peace.
— Saral Patel (@SaralPatel) May 6, 2021
Chaudhary Ji’s contribution to the welfare of farmer community will always be fondly remembered.
Om Shanti. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/dmABB0XeRR
Loss of words at the sad demise of @RLDparty leader & former Union Minister Ch. Ajit Singh.
— Aman Panwar (अमन पंवार) (@amanpanwar) May 6, 2021
Chaudhary sahab’s contribution for the farmer community will always be remembered by one and all. Huge loss. pic.twitter.com/GkfPqPChQN
Saddened by the news of demise of senior leader, RLD Supremo Ch. Ajit Singh. His efforts to raise farmers’ issues shall be remembered forever.
— Brijendra Singh (@BrijendraSpeaks) May 6, 2021
Praying for peace for departed soul and strength for family and friends. pic.twitter.com/s2hZRyO4EZ
my deepest condolences to @jayantrld and charu ! Had the great pleasure of meeting Ajit Singh Ji at their residence and will cherish the moment forever ! May god give you all the strength in this moment of grief . It is indeed an end of an era
— Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) May 6, 2021