Published 19:37 IST, August 1st 2020
Amar Singh's demise: Shatrughan Sinha, Anil Kapoor extend condolences
Amar Singh (64) died in Singapore, where he was undergoing treatment, on Saturday. He had undergone a kidney transplant in 2011 & wasn't keeping well
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Condoling the death of Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, actor Shatrughan Sinha described him as, 'a dear friend, very popular, powerful, a towering politician of Indian politics'. Singh (64) died in Singapore, where he was undergoing treatment, on Saturday. He had undergone a kidney transplant in 2011 and was not keeping well for a long time.
Mourning Amar Singh's death, actor Anil Kapoor also took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "Amar Singh ji was a doston ka dost, always there when you needed him and passionately loved films and it’s music...he will be truly missed...may he rest in peace.
My heartfelt prayers & condolences to the family."
Deeply saddened to learn that senior leader, RS, MP, a dear friend, very popular, powerful, towering politican of Indian politics @AmarSinghTweets is no more. His contributions in politics were tremendous & he had friends cutting across party lines. Though he was a shrewd
— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) August 1, 2020
politican, but was kind hearted & helpful to everyone. He will always be remembered with fondest memories. Prayers & heartfelt condolences to his family, friends & supporters. May they all be strengthened during this grief. RIP🙏
— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) August 1, 2020
Amar Singh's political-Bollywood career
Amar Singh who was a close friend of the Bachchans since 1990s, helped Bachchan revive his debt-ridden Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL) in 2003. Stepping in as the vice-chairman of the company, he was publically referred to as a 'younger brother' by Big B. Singh also reportedly helped launch actor Jaya Bachchan's political career in the Samajwadi Party in 2004. The actor was elected to the Rajya Sabha and has since then held the position.
Singh himself was elected to the Rajya Sabha four times - in 1996, 2002,2008 and 2016. He held several posts on several parliamentary commissions since then but was most known as SP's go-to man for swinging political support to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in Delhi. He shot to fame when he saved the UPA-1 government by pledging support of 39 MPs when it was reduced to a minority as CPI withdrew its support to the coalition over the proposed Nuclear Accord with the United States.
Moreover, Singh had also managed to talk Mulayam Singh Yadav against supporting UPA-1's coalition in the beginning when Dr. Singh had been named Prime Minister. Apart from making and breaking UPA's support, Singh had also managed to convince US President Bill Clinton to attend a banquet in his honour in Lucknow in 2005, elevating Mulayam Singh Yadav's stature in Delhi. Singh who was also close to Ambanis and Bachchans wielded power in both Delhi and Mumbai for the SP.
19:37 IST, August 1st 2020