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Vishwanath Pratap Singh (25 Jun 1931 - present)
Vishwanath Pratap Singh was born on June 25, 1931 at Allahabad, Shri V.P.
Singh is the son of Raja Bahadur Ram Gopal Singh. He was educated at Allahabad
and Poona Universities. He was married to Smt. Sita Kumari on June 25, 1955.
A scholarly man, he was the proud founder of Gopal Vidyalaya, Intermediate
College, Koraon, Allahabad. He was the President of the Students Union at Udai
Pratap College, Varanasi in 1947-48 and was the Vice-President, Allahabad
University Students Union. He actively participated in Bhoodan movement in 1957
and donated a well-established farm in village Pasna, District Allahabad.
He was the member of All India Congress Committee; Executive Body, Allahabad
University, 1969-71 and Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh 1969-71. He was the
Whip, Congress Legislative Party, 1970-71; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha),
1971-74; Union Deputy Minister of Commerce, October 1974-November 1976; Union
State Minister of Commerce, November 1976-March 1977; Member of Parliament (Lok
Sabha), January 3-July 26,1980.
He was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, June 9, 1980- June 28, 1982; Member,
Legislative Council, Uttar Pradesh, November 21, 1980-June 14,1981; Member
Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh, June 15, 1981-July 16, 1983. As a Union
Minister of Commerce in January 29,1983, he also held additional charge of the
Department of Supply in February 15,1983. He was the Member of Parliament (Rajya
Sabha) in July 16, 1983; on September 1, 1984 he was elected President, Uttar
Pradesh Congress Committee and on December 31, 1984 he became the Union Finance
Minister.
After resigning as Congress cabinet minister under Rajiv Gandhi , he joined in
Jan Morcha . He was elected to Lok Sabha from Allahabad .Janatha Dal fought
elections in 1989, alongside BJP and the Communist parties. He became Prime
Minister after winning election. He held office from December 2 , 1989 -
November 10 , 1990.
He was ousted when BJP withdrew support to the National Front government after
its leader L.K. Advani was arrested during his rath yatra that supported a
construction of a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.