A prominent leader from Western Uttar Pradesh, Ajit Singh was the son of ex-Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. Ajit Singh served as a six-time MP from the Baghpat Lok Sabha constituency and was a part of Cabinets headed by PV Narasimha Rao, VP Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh passed away at a Gurugram hospital on Thursday after being diagnosed with Covid-19.
In a Twitter post, Ajit Singh's family said: "As the nation confronts the horrific pandemic, it is our humble request to all those who wish to pay their respects to stay at home as far as possible. We must observe all safety protocols to keep ourselves and everyone around us safe and healthy. This will be the best way to honour Chaudhary sahib as well as those Covid warriors who are working night and day to protect us."
A prominent leader from Western Uttar Pradesh, Ajit Singh was the son of ex-Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Ajit Singh served as a six-time MP from the Baghpat Lok Sabha constituency and was a part of Cabinets headed by PV Narasimha Rao, VP Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
He lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election to BJP's Satyapal Singh (Baghpat) and the 2019 Lok Sabha election to Sanjeev Balyan (Muzaffarnagar).
He first entered Parliament in 1986 as a Rajya Sabha member and led his own faction of Lok Dal (Ajit) in 1987.
Through the years, he handled portfolios such as Food, Industry, Agriculture and Civil Aviation.
As Agriculture Minister, he also instituted the credit-linked subsidy scheme for augmenting cold storage capacity, which enabled a much-needed flow of private investment into the industry.
A number of leaders paid their tributes to the departed leader.
पूर्व केंद्रीय मंत्री चौधरी अजित सिंह जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। वे हमेशा किसानों के हित में समर्पित रहे। उन्होंने केंद्र में कई विभागों की जिम्मेदारियों का कुशलतापूर्वक निर्वहन किया। शोक की इस घड़ी में मेरी संवेदनाएं उनके परिजनों और प्रशंसकों के साथ हैं। ओम शांति!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
राष्ट्रीय लोक दल प्रमुख अजित सिंह जी के असमय निधन का समाचार दुखद है।
उनके परिवार व प्रियजनों को मेरी संवेदनाएँ। pic.twitter.com/m4iZ9SAC93
राष्ट्रीय लोकदल के प्रमुख और पूर्व केन्द्रीय मंत्री चौधरी अजित सिंह के निधन की सूचना से दुख हुआ। उन्होंने किसानों के हित में हमेशा आवाज उठायी। जनप्रतिनिधि व मंत्री के रूप में उन्होंने देश की राजनीति पर अलग छाप छोड़ी। उनके परिवार और शुभचिंतकों के प्रति मेरी शोक संवेदनाएं
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn)
Shocked to hear of the demise of Ajit Singh ji. I can’t begin to imagine what you are going through . I join my father, who had a long & warm association with your father, in sending our condolences & prayers.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah)
I am truly sad that my good friend for over 35 years, Ajit Singh son of Charan Singh died today due to Coronavirus. He was simple and straight forward with me all his life. In the late 1980s and thereafter he held many Ministerial posts.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39)