Former Indian minister Ajit Singh passes away due to Covid

New Delhi - Leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pay tribute to Singh on social media.

Former Indian union minister Ajit Singh, 82, passed away on Thursday at a hospital in Gurgaon near Delhi after battling Covid-19 for the past few days.

Son of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, Ajit was a vastly different personality in Indian (especially Uttar Pradesh) politics. He had an IIT degree and was comfortable speaking in English, as well as the local dialects in UP, and had lived abroad for several years before returning to India in the 1980s.

Son Jayant Singh confirmed his father’s demise on Thursday morning. “Chaudhary Ajit Singh ji was diagnosed as Covid+ on the 20th of April,” said a family statement. “He battled his condition till the very end and breathed his last today morning, the 6th of May, 2021. Throughout his life journey, Chaudhary Sahib was loved and respected by many. He, in turn, cherished this bond with all of you and gave his best consideration and efforts for our welfare.”

Ajit Singh started the Lok Dal (A) after his father’s death and managed excellent ties with virtually all the political parties including the Congress, the BJP and the Janata Dal. He had served under several prime ministers including V.P. Singh, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. Singh was a minister in Vajpayee’s government between 2001 and 2003 and also in the second term of the UPA government.