Veteran Leader Kunwar Anand Singh Passes at 87

Gonda (UP), Jul 7 (PTI) The eminent former Member of Parliament from Gonda, Kunwar Anand Singh, and father of the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, passed away in Lucknow at the age of 87. According to his family sources, Singh's health suddenly deteriorated at his residence before he was rushed to a hospital where he breathed his last on Sunday night. Numerous political leaders, such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, conveyed their condolences upon his passing. CM Adityanath expressed on 'X', ''The demise of respected father of Union Minister of State Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh ji and former minister of Uttar Pradesh government and former MP Shri Anand Singh ji is extremely sad. Humble tributes! I pray to Lord Shri Ram to give a place to the departed soul in his lotus feet and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!'' Samajwadi Party chief Yadav added on 'X', ''Former minister of UP government, former MP Gonda resident Raja Anand Singh ji passed away, extremely sad! May his soul rest in peace. Deep condolences to the bereaved family.'' Anand Singh, born on January 4, 1939, was a descendant of the former Mankapur royal family. He was the son of Raja Raghvendra Pratap Singh, who had served as an MLA from the Swatantra Party. Singh completed his early studies at Colvin Taluqedar College in Lucknow and later earned a BSc in Agriculture from the Agriculture Institute in Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj. He then managed the agricultural affairs of his estate. Singh married Veena Singh, the daughter of Bindumati Devi, a former Rajya Sabha MP and Barabanki MLA. The couple had three daughters—Niharika, Radhika, Shivani Rai—and one son, Kirti Vardhan Singh, who currently represents Gonda in the Lok Sabha and serves as the MoS for External Affairs, Forest, and Environment. Anand Singh's political journey began following the death of his father, leading to his election to the UP Assembly in 1964, 1967, and 1969. On the counsel of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, he joined the Congress, family sources claimed. He was subsequently elected to the Lok Sabha from Gonda in 1971, and again in 1980, 1984, and 1989. However, the 1991 general elections amid the Ram Janmabhoomi movement saw his defeat by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In 1996, he lost the seat to Brijbhushan's wife, Ketki Devi Singh, prompting his withdrawal from parliamentary politics. In the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, he made a comeback by winning from the Gaura constituency and served as the state's agriculture minister in the then SP government. He retired from active politics after this period. Known as the 'UP Tiger', Singh wielded significant influence in the eastern UP political landscape. His impact in the Gonda district was so considerable that his party would often present him with blank symbols—nomination forms devoid of candidates’ names—for assembly elections. An endorsement from the Mankapur royal family was widely considered adequate to secure roles such as MLA, zila panchayat chairperson, or block pramukh. His demise marks the conclusion of an era in the politics of Uttar Pradesh.