Motilal Vora

Motilal Vora (20 December 1928 – 21 December 2020) was an Indian politician belonging to the Indian National Congress (INC). He served as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (1985–1988; 1989). He was born in Nimbi Jodha, Jodhpur State, British India. He was also Governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1993 to 1996

Motilal Vora MP
Vora in 1989
MP of Rajya Sabha for Chhattisgarh
In office 10 April 2002 – 9 April 2020
Preceded by	Surendra Kumar Singh
Succeeded by	Phulo Devi Netam
Director in Young Indian
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 January 2011
Managing Director in The Associated Journals Limited
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 March 2002
Treasurer of All India Congress Committee
In office 2000–2018
Succeeded by	Ahmed Patel
Governor of Uttar Pradesh
In office 26 May 1993 – 3 May 1996
Minister of Health, Family Welfareand Civil Aviation
In office 14 February 1988 – 1989
13th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
In office 25 January 1989 – 8 December 1989
Preceded by	Arjun Singh
Succeeded by	Shyama Charan Shukla
In office 13 March 1985[1] – 13 February 1988[2]
Preceded by	Arjun Singh
Succeeded by	Arjun Singh
Personal details
Born	20 December 1928 Nimbi Jodha, Jodhpur State, British India (present-day Nagaur District, Rajasthan, India)
Died	21 December 2020 (aged 92)[3] Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, India
Cause of death	Post-COVID infections[4]
Citizenship	India
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Shanti Devi Vora
Children	Four daughters, two sons
Residence	Mohan Nagar, Durg, Chhattisgarh
Occupation	Politics
Profession	Journalist, politician and social worker
[5]

Early life

Motilal Vora was born on 20 December 1928 at Nimbi Jodha in Jodhpur State of British India's Rajputana Agency (present-day Nagaur district, Rajasthan) to a Pushkarna Brahmin family. His parents were Mohanlal Vora and Amba Bai.[5] His forefathers came from Nimbi Jodha, and prior to that from Phalodi. He received his education at Raipur and Kolkata. He had also worked with several newspapers for many years. He married Shanti Devi Vora. The couple have four daughters and two sons. His son Arun Vora is an MLA from Durg (CG), having won three elections as MLA.[5] His brother Govindlal Vora was Veteran Journalist and Chief Editor of Amrit Sandesh.[6] His nephew Rajeev Vora is Secretary of Pragati College of Engineering and Management, Raipur[7][4]

State politics

In 1968, Vora, then, a member of Samajwadi party, became a member of the Municipal Committee of Durg (then part of Madhya Pradesh).[5] In 1970 (approximately), he, with the help of Prabhat Tiwari, was introduced to Pt. Kishorilal Shukla of INC and joined INC. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) of Madhya Pradesh in 1972 on an INC ticket. He was elected to Vidhan Sabha again in 1977 and 1980. He was appointed as a minister of State in Arjun Singh's Cabinet, and was in-charge of the Higher Education Department. He was elevated to the Cabinet Minister in 1983. He also served as the Deputy Chairman of Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation during 1981–84.[5]

On 13 March 1985, Vora was appointed Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. He resigned from the post of Chief Minister on 13 February 1988, to join the Union Government.

National politics

On 14 February 1988, Vora became a member of the Rajya Sabha, and assumed the office of Union Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Civil Aviation. He was a cabinet minister in Government of India. He was appointed as Governor of Uttar Pradesh on May 16, 1993 and held office till May 3, 1996. Motilal Vora was in 1998–99 Member of the 12th Lok Sabha.[5]

Role in the Indian National Congress

Vora was very close to High Command of INC, and has supported nomination of Rahul Gandhi as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate. In the 1980s, he served as the President of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, the party's state unit.

Vora held important positions in all the three entities involved in the National Herald Case: the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the Young Indian and the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He became the chairman and managing director of AJL on 22 March 2002. He served as the AICC treasurer before that. He was a 12% shareholder and a Director of Young Indian.[8]

References

1. "M.P. chief minister sworn in with Ram Kishore Shukla and others". Government Of Madhya Pradesh, India. 13 March 1985. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
2. "M.P. chief minister resigns with Ram Kishore Shukla and other ministers". Government Of Madhya Pradesh, India. 14 February 1988. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
3. "Veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora passes away at 93". The Times of India. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
4. "Veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora passes away at new Delhi". Hindustan Times. 21 December 2020.
5. Rajya Sabha profile
6. "Veteran Chhattisgarh journalist Govind Lal Vora dies". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
7. "Pragati College". www.pragaticollege.com. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
8. Sandeep Singh (10 December 2015). "Deals at National Herald: Who got what, when, how". Indian Express.