Rajo Singh (25 March 1928 – 9 September 2005), also known as Rajo Babu, was a politician from
Bihar
Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...
, India.
He remained active in the electoral politics at the state and national level for over 50 years.
Personal life
Rajo Singh was born in
Bhumihar
Bhumihar, also locally called Bhuinhar and Babhan, a Hindu Indian caste system, caste mainly found in Bihar (including the Mithila (region), Mithila region), the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, the Bundelkhand region of Madhya ...
caste in Hathiama village in
Sheikhpura district
Sheikhpura district is one of the thirty-eight districts in Bihar, India and a part of the Munger division with Sheikhpura as its administrative headquarters. Established on 31 July 1994 from the Munger district due to political efforts by ...
on 25 March 1928. He received his
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
from "''Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Allahabad''". He was married to Sharda Devi in the year 1939. He had a daughter Mrs Usha Singh married to veterinary doctor Dr S S Singh and son Late Sanjay Kumar Singh. His son Mr Sanjay had been two times MLA from Sheikhpura constituency and was a MOS for Rural Development under Shrimati Rabri Devi Govt. Mr Sanjay was married to Shrimati Sunila Devi, again two times MLA and also headed as party President of Bihar Pradesh Mahila Congress for more than two years. She resigned on her own due to ailing health and constituency over work and work of Civil Society Organisation PARD.
Political career
He was a Member of the
Bihar Legislative Assembly
The Bihar Legislative Assembly, also known as the Bihar Vidhan Sabha, is the lower house of the bicameral Bihar Legislature of the state of Bihar in India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is ...
for six consecutive terms, that is, from 1972 to 1998. He was a
Member of parliament, Lok Sabha
A Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha ( abbreviated: MP) is the representative of a legislative constituency in the Lok Sabha; the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of parliament of Lok Sabha are chosen by direct elections ...
from
Begusarai
Begusarai is the industrial and financial capital of Bihar and the administrative headquarters of the Begusarai district, which is one of the 38 districts of the Indian state of Bihar. The district lies on the northern bank of the river Gan ...
constituency for two terms, between 1998
and 2004. He started his career as primary school teacher and participated actively in politics and social work. His passion to serve the masses soon forced him to leave the job of teacher as he was not able to do justice to social work and teaching at the same time. He resigned from the job of Primary School teacher and became full-time political worker. He became Gram Pradhan of Hathiyama Panchayat in the year 1952 and continued till 1972. He contested the Legislative Assembly first election from Barbigha as an independent candidate against Shri Shivshankar Singh (CPI) son of late Dr Shri
Krishna Sinha
Shri Krishna Singh (Sinha) (21 October 1887 – 31 January 1961), also known as Shri Babu, was the first chief minister of the Indian state of Bihar (1946–61). Except for the period of World War II, Sinha was the chief minister of Bihar from t ...
, the first Chief Minister of Bihar, in 1972 and defeated him. He continued his journey of winning each election with higher margins in every successive election from 1972 onwards. He was denied ticket from
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
in the year 1985 and he contested election as independent member and defeated by record margin his rival Shri Rajendra Prasad Singh. In the year 1998, still being the member of Bihar Legislative Assembly he contested Parliamentary elections from
Begusarai
Begusarai is the industrial and financial capital of Bihar and the administrative headquarters of the Begusarai district, which is one of the 38 districts of the Indian state of Bihar. The district lies on the northern bank of the river Gan ...
constituency and won the election against Shrimati
Krishna Sahi of SAP with margins of 52,907 votes.
Developmental politics
Rajo Singh started his political career as a volunteer for Dr Shri
Krishna Sinha
Shri Krishna Singh (Sinha) (21 October 1887 – 31 January 1961), also known as Shri Babu, was the first chief minister of the Indian state of Bihar (1946–61). Except for the period of World War II, Sinha was the chief minister of Bihar from t ...
, the first Chief Minister of Bihar. It was easier working for him as Dr Singh's village Maur village is just few km away from his village Hathiyama. He learnt the art of politicking from him and he had witnessed every major development which took place in Bihar. As a member of legislative assembly he raised issues and slogans for development of Sheikhpura district. He had visited almost all the villages of Sheikhpura District either on foot or on cycle or in some of the villages on boat.
His priority of development was water for farmers, health centers, road connectivity and educational centers. He was lifetime senate member of
Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University
Tilka Majhi Bhagalpur University, formerly Bhagalpur University, is a public university in Bhagalpur, Bihar, India. It was established on 12 July 1960, having local colleges initially associated with Patna University. Its campus is around in ar ...
, Bhagalpur. There are number of Primary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools and Colleges which have been built in the district with sole contribution of Rajo Babu. People had immense faith in him and his advice was taken seriously and people donated land for school buildings and money for construction and running of these schools. He was also instrumental in carving out a small place like
Sheikhpura
Sheikhpura is a town and a municipality in Sheikhpura district in the Indian state of Bihar. Sheikhpura is also an administrative headquarter of Sheikhpura district.
Postal code
PIN code of Sheikhpura post office is 811105.
Postal code for ...
into district during the period of Shri
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad (born 11 June 1948) is an Indian politician who served as the chief minister of Bihar from 1990 to 1997 with a brief interruption in 1995 and as the union minister for Railways from 2004 to 2009. He is the founder and president o ...
, the then Chief Minister of Bihar.
He contributed in development at the cost of personal safety and once Mr
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar (born 1 March 1951) is an Indian politician who has been serving as the 22nd chief minister of Bihar since 22 February 2015, having previously held the office from 2005 to 2014 and for a short period in 2000. He is Bihar's longest ...
, Chief Minister of Bihar the then Cabinet Minister of Railway were pelted with stones at Sheikhpura when foundation stone for the 122-km long railway line between Sheikhpura and Daniala Neura was laid. Shree Singh was the one who made Sheikhpura to be District from a block on 31 July 1994 in the regime of Shree
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad (born 11 June 1948) is an Indian politician who served as the chief minister of Bihar from 1990 to 1997 with a brief interruption in 1995 and as the union minister for Railways from 2004 to 2009. He is the founder and president o ...
.
Cooperative movements
Rajo Singh was instrumental in forming large number of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society in the district of Monghyr and specially in the villages of Sheikhpura district. He had intimate knowledge of functional aspects of grass root societies. He understood the pain and plight of poor farmers and he knit them well to assure that they received loans for all their needs specially for farming. He organised few of the Cooperatives Seminar and first such was held at Kaithma Panchayat. He being a Gram Pradhan himself of Hathiama Panchayat he sensitized the other Gram Pradhans and formed large no of PACS. He was also the President of Sheikhpura Vyapar Mandal.
He became member of Council Director of Biscomaun in the year 1967 to 1976 and then again in 1979 to 1988. He held important positions in the Cooperatives Institutions as under
Director of Bihar State Housing Co-operative Federation from 1977 to 1980.
President of Bihar Co-operative federation from 1980 to 1986.
Director of National Co-operative Federation from 1984 to 1985.
President Member of Advisory Committee from 1969 to 1976 and again from 1979 to 1988.
Member of Co-operative Council in 1986.
Administrative Member in National Co-operative Handloom Development Bank Association from 1986 to 1988.
Chairman of Bihar State Land Development Bank, Patna from 1986 to 30 Jul 1988.
As Chairman of Bihar State Land Development Bank Patna ensured 84% of debt recovery and 98% of allotted loan was distributed to farmers and established a record. He was awarded Uday Bhan Singh trophy by then the Agriculture Minister Mr. Bhajan Lal of GOI.
Death
Singh was shot dead allegedly by
Ashok Mahto gang of Nawada and Sheikhpura region. In his confession Mahto unfolded his linkage to several
Janata Dal (United)
Janata Dal (United) ("People's Party (United)"), abbreviated as JD(U), is a Social democracy, social-democratic and secular List of political parties in India, Indian political party, rooted mainly in East India, eastern and Northeast India, ...
leaders including chief minister
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar (born 1 March 1951) is an Indian politician who has been serving as the 22nd chief minister of Bihar since 22 February 2015, having previously held the office from 2005 to 2014 and for a short period in 2000. He is Bihar's longest ...
. According to his confession and statement of police, the killing of Singh was a revenge killing of 9 persons in 2001 including
Rashtriya Janata Dal
The Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD; translation: National People's Party) is an Indian political party, mainly based in the state of Bihar. The party was founded in 1997 by Lalu Prasad Yadav.
The party's support base has traditionally been Other ...
Sheikhpura president Kashi Yadav.
See also
*
List of assassinated Indian politicians
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Rajo
1928 births
2005 deaths
Lok Sabha members from Bihar
People from Sheikhpura district
India MPs 1998–1999
India MPs 1999–2004
People from Begusarai district
Bihar MLAs 1972–1977
Bihar MLAs 1977–1980
Bihar MLAs 1980–1985
Bihar MLAs 1985–1990
Bihar MLAs 1990–1995
Bihar MLAs 1995–2000
Indian National Congress politicians from Bihar
Indian politicians assassinated in the 21st century
Asian politicians assassinated in the 2000s
Politicians assassinated in 2005