Kalyan Singh, veteran BJP leader and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, died at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) in Lucknow on Saturday due to sepsis and multi organ failure. Singh, 89, had been admitted to the hospital following a heart attack and kidney related issues last month. 

Following his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to offer condolences. 

“I am saddened beyond words. Kalyan Singh Ji…statesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader and great human. He leaves behind an indelible contribution towards the development of Uttar Pradesh. Spoke to his son Shri Rajveer Singh and expressed condolences. Om Shanti,” he tweeted. 

Singh, a prominent Lodhi leader from Uttar Pradesh, had two tumultuous stints as chief minister and will always be remembered for being at the helm when Babri masjid was demolished in 1992.   

Babri demolition

Whatever his organisational and administrative achievements may be, Kalyan Singh will always be remembered for heading Uttar Pradesh when Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, just a year after he took over as the Chief Minister.

Singh, in his earlier affidavit to the Supreme Court had said that as chief minister he will ensure that the masjid is not damaged, But on December 6, thousands of Kar Sevaks assembled at the site and within no time the mosque was razed to ground. Taking moral responsibility, Singh resigned the same evening. Later, the PV Narasimha Rao government at the Centre dissolved the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

Second term as CM

His second stint as Chief Minister was a roller-coaster ride. He took oath in September 1997, and in October BSP withdrew support to him. But, Singh managed to get support from a faction of Congress leaders. But, this arrangement did not last long. In February 1998, his government was dismissed after the Congress faction leader withdrew support to Kalyan Singh. The court finally reinstated the Singh government and he proved majority with help from Congress and BSP rebels.

Singh, a Lodhi by caste, had a falling out with the BJP that saw him floating his own party. But he finally returned and was made the Governor of Rajasthan in 2014 when NDA formed the government at the Centre.