Rajendra Singh Rathore

Rajendra Rathore (born 21 April 1955) is an Indian politician who served as leader of opposition in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. He is a former Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Churu.[1] He lost 2023 Rajasthan Assembly Elections to senior Jat leader Narendra Budhania of Congress party from Taranagar constituency.[2][3]

Rajendra Rathore
Rathore in 2023
Leader of the Opposition,
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
2 April 2023 – 3 December 2023
Preceded byGulab Chand Kataria
Succeeded byTika Ram Jully
Member of Legislative Assembly, Rajasthan
In office
1990–2023
Succeeded byHarlal Saharan
ConstituencyChuru
Minister of State
Government of Rajasthan
In office
1993–1994
Minister of PWD
Government of Rajasthan
In office
2003–2008
Succeeded byBharat Singh, INC
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
Government of Rajasthan
In office
2003–2008
Succeeded byShanti Kumar Dhariwal, INC
Minister of Health & Family Welfare
Government of Rajasthan
In office
2013–2016
Succeeded byKali Charan Saraf, BJP
Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj
Government of Rajasthan
In office
2016–2018
Succeeded bySachin Pilot, INC
Personal details
Born (1955-04-21) 21 April 1955 (age 68)
Harpalsar, Rajasthan, India
SpouseChand Kanwar
Children1
Residence(s)54 Geeta Path, Suraj Nagar West, Civil Lines, Jaipur 302006
Alma materUniversity of Rajasthan
OccupationPolitician

Early life and education edit

Rathore was born on 21 April 1955 in Harpalsar village, Sardarshahar, District Churu, Rajasthan. He was born to Uttam Singh Rathore, an RAS officer. He was schooled in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, and then obtained his M.A. in 1980, D.L.L. in 1978, L.L.B. in 1977 at Rajasthan University, Jaipur. He was elected as the president of the Student Union at Rajasthan University in 1979.[citation needed]

He married Chand Kanwar, on 23 February 1978. The couple has a son, Parakram Singh Rathore. [citation needed]

Political career edit

Rajendra Rathore has been a prominent face of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajasthan, for past 3 decades. He has emerged from numerous crises and has a strong grip on Rajput voters in the state; he enjoys huge popularity in Churu, Rajasthan. For over a decade and a half, Rathore along with the late Dr. Digamber Singh dominated the party in the state, while batting for Vasundhara Raje’s leadership in the state. After, Digamber Singh’s death in 2017, Rathore distanced himself from Raje. And post the 2018 Rajasthan election has appeared as a viable party leader for the state - heading into the 2023 assembly elections.

Membership of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly edit

Assembly Tenure Constituency Party
9th 1990 - 1993 Churu Janata Dal
10th 1993 - 1998 Bharatiya Janata Party
11th 1998 - 2003
12th 2003 - 2008
13th 2008 - 2013 Taranagar
14th 2013 - 2018 Churu
15th 2018 - 2023

Positions held in Government of Rajasthan edit

SI No. Post Department or Ministry Tenure
1. MLA Deputy Chief Whip 1991 - 1993
2. Minister of State Medical and Health, Medical Services (ESI). 1993 - 1998
3. Cabinet Minister Public Works Department and Parliamentary Affairs. 2003 - 2008
4. Cabinet Minister Medical and Health Services (ESI), Medical Education, Ayurveda & Indian Medical Methods. 2013 - 2016
5. Cabinet Minister Rural Development & Panchayati raj and Parliamentary Affairs, Election. 2016 - 2018
6. MLA Deputy Leader of the Opposition 2019 - 2023
7. MLA Leader of the Opposition 2023

Social works edit

  • Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Medical College - In October 2018, Rathore took the unprecedented step of opening of Medical College in Churu which is now serving the medical study requirement of many students. [citation needed]
  • Lohia Law College - Lohia College has started post graduate courses and graduate level courses. [citation needed]
  • Churu Nature Park - In September 2018, he inaugurated the grand nature park in Churu. After Jaipur's Central Park in Rajasthan, the second largest nature park is located in Churu. It is built on 90 bighas of land and more than 10 thousand saplings of about 20 species have been planted under the Naturopathy system. It is equipped with facilities like yoga center, two acupressure tracks, sand path, open gym, watch tower, knowledge park, women park, children park and Swami Gopaldas open air theatre. [citation needed]
  • Medical Relief Society - In 1993-98, Rathore was a pioneer in starting the Medical Relief Society while being the Minister of Medical and Health Department. This has been adopted by many Indian state governments since then. [citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ Nandi, Palak (12 November 2018). "Rajendra Rathore, 6-time MLA, faces toughest test in his career". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  2. ^ Mahan, Rajan (15 March 2024). "In Rajasthan's Churu, a Long-Drawn Jat-Rajput Battle and a New Political Hotspot". TheQuint. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  3. ^ "तारानगर सीट पर कांग्रेस के नरेंद्र बुढ़ानिया की जीत, बीजेपी के राजेंद्र राठौड़ को 10345 वोटों से हराया". Jansatta (in Hindi). 3 December 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2024.

2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/crisis-ploy-to-buy-power-from-pvt-firms-rathore/articleshow/91192983.cms. The Times of India 30 April 2022

4. https://www.abplive.com/states/rajasthan/rajasthan-bjp-leader-rajendra-rathore-object-congress-mlas-being-made-board-president-2060307. ABP Live 12 Feb 2022

5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v0qWTkOWgc. Zee Rajasthan 13 Dec 2021