Lalji Tandon

Lal Ji Tandon (12 April 1935 – 21 July 2020[3]) was an Indian politician who served as the 18th Governor of Madhya Pradesh and 28th Governor of Bihar. He had also served as a member of parliament from 1996 until 2014 and as the Leader of the Opposition of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from 2003 until 2007. He was a member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a protégé of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[4]

Lalji Tandon
Lalji Tandon in 2018
18th Governor of Madhya Pradesh
In office 29 July 2019 – 1 July 2020
Chief Minister	Kamal Nath Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Preceded by	Anandiben Patel
Succeeded by	Anandiben Patel (Additional Charge)
28th Governor of Bihar
In office 23 August 2018 – 28 July 2019
Chief Minister	Nitish Kumar
Preceded by	Satya Pal Malik
Succeeded by	Phagu Chauhan
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 16 May 2009 – 16 May 2014
Preceded by	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Succeeded by	Rajnath Singh
Constituency	Lucknow
Leader of the Opposition, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
In office 7 September 2003 – 13 May 2007
Preceded by	Swami Prasad Maurya
Succeeded by	Mulayam Singh Yadav
Personal details
Born	12 April 1935[1] Chowk, Lucknow, United Provinces, British India[2]
Died	21 July 2020 (aged 85)[3] Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India[3]
Political party	Bharatiya Janta Party
Spouse(s)	Krishna Tandon ​ ​ (m. 1958; his death 2020)​ [2]
Children	3 (including Ashutosh Tandon)
Residence	Raj Bhavan, Bhopal
Alma mater	Kalicharan Degree College, Lucknow University

Early life

Tandon was born in Chowk village in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India to Shivnarayan Tandon and Annpurna Devi.[2] He graduated from Kalicharan Degree College.[5][6] Tandon married Krishna Tandon on 26 February 1958, with whom he had three sons.[2]

Career

Tandon was a member of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) for two terms, from 1978 until 1984 and remained the Leader of the House, of the Council from 1990 to 1996. Subsequently, he remained a member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for three terms, 1996–2009, and remained the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly from 2003 to 2007.[7] He had also served as Urban Development minister in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet under Mayawati (in the BSP-BJP alliance), and also in the Kalyan Singh ministry earlier.[8]

On his birthday in April 2004, he was distributing free saris to poor women when a stampede broke out, killing 21 people.[9] He was cleared of wrongdoing in this matter.[10]

In May 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Lucknow by a margin over 40,000 votes over Rita Bahuguna Joshi of Indian National Congress. The seat was earlier held by former BJP President Atal Bihari Vajpayee since 1991 for four consecutive terms. Despite enormous electoral spending, Akhilesh Das of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) polled third, trailing by 70,000 votes.[11]

As a Governor of Bihar, he was praised for streamlining academic activities of the state universities.[12]

On 20 July 2019, he was appointed as the 22nd Governor of Madhya Pradesh, replacing Anandiben Patel.[1][13]

Death and legacy

Tandon died on 21 July 2020 at Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, following a long illness. He was 85.[3] His son Ashutosh Tandon announced his death.[14]

Lalji Tandon Foundation was formed in October 2020. This foundation will be chaired by Gopal Tandon and will implement public services.[15]

In July 2020, two roads in Uttar Pradesh were proposed to be named after Tandon.[16] In December 2020, in another proposal, a boxing hall bearing the name of Tandon is to be built in Chowk Stadium, Lucknow.[17]

References

1. "लालजी टंडन मध्य प्रदेश के गवर्नर होंगे, आनंदीबेन उत्तर प्रदेश की राज्यपाल बनाई गईं". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 20 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
2. "Detailed Profile: Shri Lal Ji Tandon". Govt of India. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
3. "Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, on Ventilator Support for Days, Passes Away at 85". News 18.
4. "Lalji Tandon was BJP's LS candidate from Lucknow". Rediff.com. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
5. "Lucknow: MP Governor Lalji Tandon, UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurate new building of Kalicharan College". Business Standard India. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
6. "Lucknow: MP Governor Lalji Tandon, UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurate new building of Kalicharan College". ANI. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
7. "Lalji Tandon, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's man Friday, passes away". Pankoj Shah. The Times of India. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
8. "Lalji Tandon: A BJP veteran who dominated Uttar Pradesh political landscape". Outlook. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
9. "UP stampede toll 21, PM rushing to Lucknow". Rediff.com. 12 April 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
10. "Tandon gets clean chit in saree stampede case". Hindustan Times. 8 April 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
11. India, Press Trust of (16 May 2009). "Lalji Tandon defeats Rita Bahuguna Joshi in Lucknow". Business Standard. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
12. Verma, Kumod (22 July 2019). "Lalji Tandon praised for role in streamlining universities | Patna News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
13. PTI (20 July 2019). "Anandiben Patel made UP governor, Lal ji Tandon to replace her in Madhya Pradesh". India Today. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
14. "Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon Dies | INDToday". 21 July 2020.
15. "लालजी टण्डन फाउंडेशन का हुआ गठन, गोपाल टण्डन बने अध्यक्ष". Newstrack. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
16. "Two roads to be named after Lalji Tandon in Uttar Pradesh". The Times of India. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
17. "लालजी टंडन के नाम पर होगा चौक स्टेडियम में बन रहा बॉक्सिंग हॉल, जल्‍द होगा लोकार्पण". www.timesnowhindi.com (in Hindi). 8 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.

External links

• Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website