Union Minister & LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan passes away in Delhi at age 74

Union Consumer Affairs Minister and LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan has passed away at a hospital in national capital on Thursday. His son and LJP national president Chirag Paswan made this anuncement on Twitter. Since last few weeks, veteran political leader hailing from Bihar had been hospitalized. He underwent heart surgery on October 4.

This sudden development comes ahead of Bihar Assembly polls wherein LJP decided to go solo, citing ideological differences with JD(U). After resignation of SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Paswan was only remaining n-BJP Cabinet Minister. He was currently a member of Rajya Sabha after winning election upposed on June 28, 2019. 

Illustrious career

Born on July 5, 1946, Paswan completed a Masters' and a law degree besides passing Bihar civil service exam. However, he chose to join politics and was elected to Bihar Assembly in 1969 as a Samyukta Socialist Party candidate. He was one of prominent politicians who was jailed during Emergency. Since n, Paswan was a part of various parties including Janata Party and Janata Dal.

After Janata Dal split into two factions, he along with some or members formed LJP in vember 2000. From 1977 onwards, he was continuously elected to Lok Sabha barring for 1984 and 2009. He served as a Union Minister in National Front governments (1989-90 and 1996-98), Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led NDA government (1999-2002), UPA government (2004-2009) and Narendra Modi-led government (2014-2020).