Lalji 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
Tandon in 2018
Governor of Madhya Pradesh
In office
29 July 2019 – 1 July 2020
Chief MinisterKamal Nath
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Preceded byAnandiben Patel
Succeeded byAnandiben Patel
(additional charge)
Governor of Bihar
In office
23 August 2018 – 28 July 2019
Chief MinisterNitish Kumar
Preceded bySatya Pal Malik
Succeeded byPhagu Chauhan
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
16 May 2009 – 16 May 2014
Preceded byAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Succeeded byRajnath Singh
ConstituencyLucknow
Leader of the Opposition
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
In office
7 September 2003 – 13 May 2007
Chief MinisterMulayam Singh Yadav
Preceded bySwami Prasad Maurya
Succeeded byMulayam Singh Yadav
Minister of Urban Development & Housing
Government of Uttar Pradesh
In office
3 May 2002 – 29 August 2003
Chief MinisterMayawati
Succeeded byAzam Khan
In office
21 March 1997 – 8 March 2002
Chief MinisterMayawati
Kalyan Singh
Ram Prakash Gupta
Rajnath Singh
Preceded byRama Shankar Kaushik
Minister of Power
Government of Uttar Pradesh
In office
24 June 1991 – 6 December 1992
Chief MinisterKalyan Singh
Leader of the House
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council
In office
18 January 1998 – 6 March 2002
Chief MinisterKalyan Singh
Ram Prakash Gupta
Rajnath Singh
Preceded byR. K. Chaudhary
Succeeded bySwami Prasad Maurya
In office
3 July 1991 – 5 December 1992
Chief MinisterKalyan Singh
Preceded byRama Shankar Kaushik
Succeeded byRama Shankar Kaushik
Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
In office
1996–2009
Preceded byRam Kumar Shukla
Succeeded byShyam Kishore Shukla
ConstituencyLucknow West
Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council
In office
1990–1996
Constituencyelected by Legislative Assembly members
In office
1978–1984
Constituencyelected by Legislative Assembly members
Personal details
Born(1935-04-12)12 April 1935[1]
Lucknow, United Provinces, British India[2]
Died21 July 2020(2020-07-21) (aged 85)[3]
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India[3]
Political partyBharatiya Janta Party
Spouse
Krishna Tandon
(m. 1958)
[2]
Children3; including Ashutosh
Alma materKalicharan Degree College, Lucknow University
Source: [1]

Early life edit

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 edit

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]

Tandon was the leader of opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 2003 to 2007.[9]

On his birthday in April 2004, he was distributing free saris to poor women when a stampede broke out, killing 21 people.[10] He was cleared of wrongdoing in this matter.[11]

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.[12]

As a Governor of Bihar, he was praised for streamlining academic activities of the state universities.[13]

On 20 July 2019, he was appointed the 18th Governor of Madhya Pradesh, replacing Anandiben Patel.[1][14]

Other works edit

In 2018, Tandon wrote a book Ankaha Lucknow which was launched by the Vice-President of India Venkaiah Naidu.[15]

Death edit

Tandon died on 21 July 2020 at Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, from Covid-19, at the age of 85.[3] His son Ashutosh Tandon announced his death.[16]

Legacy edit

Lalji Tandon Foundation was formed in October 2020. This foundation will be chaired by Gopal Tandon and will implement public services.[17]

In July 2020, two roads in Uttar Pradesh were proposed to be named after Tandon.[18] In December 2020, in another proposal, a boxing hall bearing the name of Tandon is to be built in Chowk Stadium, Lucknow.[19]

Chancellor’s award to provide fillip to ‘best’ colleges, universities started by Chancellor Lalji Tandon. [20]

Rajnath Singh unveiled statue of Lalji Tandon on his first death anniversary in Lucknow in July 2021. [21] Another statue was unveiled by Yogi Adityanath on Tandon's birth anniversary in Apr 2023.[22]

On 25 July 2023, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharakwal inaugurated the Lalji Tandon Multipurpose Hall[23]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d "Detailed Profile: Shri Lal Ji Tandon". Govt of India. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d "Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, on Ventilator Support for Days, Passes Away at 85". News18. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  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. ^ Shah, Pankoj (22 July 2020). "Lalji Tandon, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's man Friday, passes away". The Times of India. 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. ^ "Profile of The Hon'ble Governor of Madhya Pradesh". governor.mp.gov.in. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  10. ^ "UP stampede toll 21, PM rushing to Lucknow". Rediff.com. 12 April 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Tandon gets clean chit in saree stampede case". Hindustan Times. 8 April 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Lalji Tandon defeats Rita Bahuguna Joshi in Lucknow". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  13. ^ Verma, Kumod (22 July 2019). "Lalji Tandon praised for role in streamlining universities". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  14. ^ PTI (20 July 2019). "Anandiben Patel made UP governor, Lal ji Tandon to replace her in Madhya Pradesh". India Today. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  15. ^ "बिना कहे सब कुछ कह देते हैं टंडन- नायडू | Venkaiah Naidu releases book of Lalji Tandon". Patrika (in Hindi). 26 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon Dies | INDToday". 21 July 2020.
  17. ^ "लालजी टण्डन फाउंडेशन का हुआ गठन, गोपाल टण्डन बने अध्यक्ष". Newstrack. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Two roads to be named after Lalji Tandon in Uttar Pradesh". The Times of India. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  19. ^ "लालजी टंडन के नाम पर होगा चौक स्टेडियम में बन रहा बॉक्सिंग हॉल, जल्‍द होगा लोकार्पण". Times Now (in Hindi). 8 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  20. ^ Mishra, B. K. (12 November 2021). "Chancellor's award to provide fillip to 'best' colleges, universities". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  21. ^ "Rajnath Singh unveils statue of Lalji Tandon on his first death anniversary in Lucknow". ANI News. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Lucknow में लालजी टंडन की जयंती समारोह में पहुंचे CM Yogi, प्रतिमा का किया अनावरण" [CM Yogi arrived at the birth anniversary celebrations of Lalji Tandon in Lucknow, unveiled the statue]. ABP News (in Hindi). 12 April 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Multipurpose hall comes up at Atal Sports Centre". The Times of India. 25 July 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 31 July 2023.

External links edit

Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Lucknow

2009 – 2014
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Bihar
23 August 2018 – 28 July 2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Madhya Pradesh
29 July 2019 - 30 June 2020
Succeeded by