About BJP Leaders

Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Shri Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India from May 16-31, 1996 and a second time from March 19, 1998 to May 13, 2004. With his swearing-in as Prime Minister, he has been the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to occupy the office of the Prime Minister of India through three successive mandates. Shri Vajpayee has also been the first Prime Minister since Smt. Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive

Shri Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India from May 16-31, 1996 and a second time from March 19, 1998 to May 13, 2004. With his swearing-in as Prime Minister, he has been the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to occupy the office of the Prime Minister of India through three successive mandates. Shri Vajpayee has also been the first Prime Minister since Smt. Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive elections.

Born on December 25, 1924 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to Shri Krishna Bihari Vajpayee and Smt. Krishna Devi, Shri Vajpayee brings with him a long parliamentary experience spanning over four decades. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1957. He was elected to the 5th, 6th and 7th Lok Sabha and again to the 10th, 11th 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and to Rajya Sabha in 1962 and 1986. He has again been elected to Parliament from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh for the fifth time consecutively. He is the only parliamentarian elected from four different States at different times namely - UP, Gujarat, MP and Delhi.

Elected leader of the National Democratic Alliance, which is a pre-election coming together of political parties from different regions of the country and which enjoyed a comfortable backing and support of the elected Members of the 13th Lok Sabha, Shri Vajpayee was earlier elected leader of his own Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party which has also again emerged as the single largest party in the 13th Lok Sabha as was the case in the 12th Lok Sabha.

Educated at Victoria (now Laxmi Bai) College, Gwalior and DAV College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Vajpayee holds an M.A (Political Science) degree and has many literary, artistic and scientific accomplishments to his credit. He edited Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. His published works include “Meri Sansadiya Yatra” (in four volumes), “Meri Ikkyavan Kavitayen”, “Sankalp Kaal”, “Shakti-se-Shanti”, “Four Decades in Parliament” (speeches in three volumes), 1957-95, “Lok Sabha mein Atalji” (a collection of speeches); Mrityu Ya Hatya”, “Amar Balidan”, “Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian” (a collection of poems written in jail during Emergency); “New Dimensions of India’s Foreign Policy” (a collection of speeches delivered as External Affairs Minister during 1977-79); “Jan Sangh Aur Mussalman”; “Sansad Mein Teen Dashak” (Hindi) (speeches in Parliament - 1957-1992 - three volumes; and “Amar Aag Hai” (a collection of poems) 1994.

Shri Vajpayee has participated in various social and cultural activities. He has been a Member of the National Integration Council since 1961. Some of his other associations include - (i) President, All India Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters Association (1965-70); (ii) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smarak Samiti (1968-84); (iii) Deen Dayal Dham, Farah, Mathura, U.P; and (iv) Janmabhomi Smarak Samiti, 1969 onwards.

Founder-member of the erstwhile Jana Sangh (1951), President, Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1968-1973), leader of the Jana Sangh parliamentary party (1955-1977) and a founder-member of the Janata Party (1977-1980), Shri Vajpayee was President, BJP (1980-1986) and the leader of BJP parliamentary party during 1980-1984, 1986 and 1993-1996. He was Leader of the Opposition throughout the term of the 11th Lok Sabha. Earlier, he was India’s External Affairs Minister in the Morarji Desai Government from March 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979.

Widely respected within the country and abroad as a statesman of the genre of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Shri Vajpayee’s 1998-99 stint as Prime Minister has been characterised as ‘one year of courage of conviction’. It was during this period that India entered a select group of nations following a series of successful nuclear tests at Pokharan in May 1998. The bus journey to Pakistan in February 1999 was widely acclaimed for starting a new era of negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems of the sub-continent. India’s honesty made an impact on the world community. Later, when this gesture of friendship turned out to be a betrayal of faith in Kargil, Shri Vajpayee was also hailed for his successful handling of the situation in repulsing back the intruders from the Indian soil. It was during Shri Vajpayee’s 1998-99 tenure that despite a global recession, India achieved 5.8 per cent GDP growth, which was higher than the previous year. Higher agricultural production and increase in foreign exchange reserves during this period were indicative of a forward-looking economy responding to the needs of the people. “We must grow faster. We simply have no other alternative” has been Shri Vajpayee’s slogan focussing particularly on economic empowerment of the rural poor. The bold decisions taken by his Government for strengthening rural economy, building a strong infrastructure and revitalising the human development programmes, fully demonstrated his Government’s commitment to a strong and self-reliant nation to meet the challenges of the next millennium to make India an economic power in the 21st century. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 52nd Independence Day, he had said, “I have a vision of India : an India free of hunger and fear, an India free of illiteracy and want.”

Shri Vajpayee has served on a number of important Committees of Parliament. He was Chairman, Committee on Government Assurances (1966-67); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (1967-70); Member, General Purposes Committee (1986); Member, House Committee and Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha (1988-90); Chairman, Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha (1990-91); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Lok Sabha (1991-93); Chairman, Standing Committee on External Affairs (1993-96).

Shri Vajpayee participated in the freedom struggle and went to jail in 1942. He was detained during Emergency in 1975-77.

Widely travelled, Shri Vajpayee has been taking a keen interest in international affairs, upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women and child welfare. Some of his travels abroad include visits such as - Member, Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965; Parliamentary Delegation to Australia, 1967; European Parliament, 1983; Canada, 1987; Indian delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966 and 1994, Zambia, 1980, Isle of Man 1984, Indian delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Japan, 1974; Sri Lanka, 1975; Switzerland, 1984; Indian Delegation to the UN General Assembly, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994; Leader, Indian Delegation to the Human Rights Commission Conference, Geneva, 1993.

Shri Vajpayee was conferred Padma Vibhushan in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He was also conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Puruskar and the Bharat Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for the Best Parliamentarian, both in 1994. Earlier, the Kanpur University honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in 1993.

Well known and respected for his love for poetry and as an eloquent speaker, Shri Vajpayee is known to be a voracious reader. He is fond of Indian music and dance.

Father’s Name Shri Krishna Bihari Vajpayee

Date of Birth 25 December 1924

Place of Birth Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh)

Marital Status Unmarried

Educational Qualifications M.A. (Political Science) Educated at Victoria (now Laxmibai) College, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) and D.A.V. College, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)

Profession Journalist and Social Worker

Permanent Address A-302, Laplaz, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) Tel. (0522) 220909

Present Address 6-A, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi-110011

Positions Held

1951 Founder-Member, Bharatiya Jana Sangh (B.J.S)

1957 Elected to 2nd Lok Sabha

1957-77 Leader, Bharatiya Jana Sangh Parliamentary Party

1962 Member, Rajya Sabha

1966-67 Chairman, Committee on Government Assurances

1967 Re-elected to 4th Lok Sabha (2nd term)

1967-70 Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

1968-73 President, B.J.S.

1971 Re-elected to 5th Lok Sabha (3rd term)

1977 Re-elected to 6th Lok Sabha (4th term)

1977-79 Union Cabinet Minister, External Affairs

1977-80 Founder- Member, Janata Party

1980 Re-elected to 7th Lok Sabha (5th term)

1980-86 President, Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.)

1980-84, 1986 and 1993-96 Leader, B.J.P. Parliamentary Party

1986 Member, Rajya Sabha Member, General Purposes Committee

1988-90 Member, House Committee Member, Business Advisory Committee

1990-91 Chairman, Committee on Petitions

1991 Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (6th term)

1991-93 Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

1993-96 Chairman, Committee on External Affairs Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha

1996 Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (7th term)

16 May 1996 -31 May 1996

Prime Minister of India; Minister of External Affairs and also incharge of Ministries/Departments of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Coal, Commerce, Communications, Environment and Forests, Food Processing Industries, Human Resource Development, Labour, Mines, Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Planning and Programme Implementation, Power, Railways, Rural Areas and Employment, Science and Technology, Steel, Surface Transport, Textiles, Water Resources,Atomic Energy, Electronics, Jammu & Kashmir Affairs, Ocean Development, Space and other subjects not allocated to any other Cabinet Minister

1996-97 Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha

1997-98 Chairman, Committee on External Affairs

1998 Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (8th term)

1998-99 Prime Minister of India; Minister of External Affairs; and also incharge of Ministries/Department not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister

1999 Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (9th term)

13 Oct.1999 to 13 May 2004 Prime Minister of India and also in charge of the Ministries/Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister

Books Published

Lok Sabha Mein Atalji (a collection of speeches); Mrityu Ya Hatya, Amar Balidan, Kaidi Kavirai Ki Kundalian (a collection of poems written in jail during Emergency); New Dimensions of India’s Foreign Policy (a collection of speeches delivered as External Affairs Minister during 1977-79); Jana Sangh Aur Musalman; Three Decades in Parliament (Speeches in three volumes); Amar Aag Hai(a collection of poems) 1994; Meri Ekyavan Kavitayen; Four Decades in Parliament (English)-4 Volumes of Speeches in Parliament, 1957-95

Literary, Artistic and Scientific Accomplishments

Editor, (i) Rashtra-Dharma-monthly (ii) Panchajanya-weekly;

Swadesh and Veer Arjun, both dailies

Social and Cultural Activities

Member, National Integration Council since 1961; President (i) All India Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters Association, 1965-70; (ii) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Samarak Samiti, 1968-84; (iii) Deendayal Dham, Farah, Mathura, U.P.; and (iv) Janmabhoomi Smarak Samiti, 1969 onwards

Special Interests

International affairs; uplift of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; and woman and child welfare

Favourite Pastime and Recreation

Reading, writing, travelling and cooking

Countries Visited

Widely travelled; Member, (i)Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965;(ii)Parliamentary Delegation to Australia, 1967; European Parliament, 1983; Canada, 1987;(iii) Indian Delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966 and 1994, Zambia 1980, Isle of Man 1984; (iv)Indian Delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Japan, 1974; Sri Lanka, 1975; Switzerland, 1984; (v) Indian Delegation to the UN - General Assembly, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996; and (vi) Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Bulgaria, 1997; Leader, Indian Delegation to Human Rights Commission Meeting, Geneva, 1993; and Delegation of Standing Committees of External Affairs to Gulf countries- Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait

Other Information

Participated in Freedom Struggle and went to jail in 1942; detained during Emergency in 1975-77; was awarded Padma Vibhushan by President of India in recognition of his services to the Nation; Conferred, (i)Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by Kanpur University,1993; (ii) Lok Manya Tilak Puruskar, 1994; (iii) Bharat Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian, 1994

Shri Lal Krishna Advani

Shri L K Advani is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the 2009 General Elections. Through the years Advaniji had served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades

Shri L K Advani is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the 2009 General Elections.

Through the years Advaniji had served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, Advaniji was, first, the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).

Advaniji is widely regarded as an individual of great intellectual ability, strong principles, and unwavering support for the idea of a strong and prosperous India. As confirmed by Atalji, Advaniji has ‘never compromised on his core belief in nationalism, and yet has displayed flexibility in political responses whenever it was demanded by the situation’.

Advaniji was born on 8 Nov 1927 and grew up in pre-partitioned Sindh. As a student in St.Patrick’s School, Karachi, his patriotic ideals inspired him to join the Rashtriya Swayamasevak Sangh (RSS) at the mere age of fourteen. He has dedicated his life to the service of the nation ever since.

Advaniji’s celebration of India’s independence from the British in 1947 was sadly short lived as he became one of the millions to be torn from his homeland amidst the terror and bloodshed of the tragedy of India’s partition. These events, however, did not turn him bitter or cynical but instead spurred him on in his desire to create a more secular India. With this goal in mind he journeyed to Rajasthan to continue his work as an RSS Pracharak.

Through the latter half of the 1980s and the 1990s, Advaniji focused on the singular task of building the BJP into a national political force. The results of his efforts were underscored by the 1989 General Election. The Party bounced back from its 1984 tally of 2 to achieve an impressive 86 seats. The Party position moved up to 121 seats in 1992 and 161 in 1996; making the 1996 elections a watershed in Indian democracy. For the first time since independence, the Congress was dethroned from its preeminent position, and the BJP became the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.

An emotional individual with strong family ties, Advaniji has said that ‘nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them, but I have had the good fortune of experiencing both, and in abundance’.

Today, Advaniji asks the people of India to make the right choice, in choosing a leader who has lived through the mistakes of India’s past, and looks forward to ensuring that India becomes more united, stronger and stands taller with its Tomorrow brighter than its Today.

About Advaniji : A Timeline

November 8, 1927 - Shri L.K Advani was born in Karachi, in present day Pakistan, to parents Kishenchand and Gyanidevi Advani.

1936-1942 - Studied at St.Patricks school, Karachi, standing first in every class until matriculation.

1942 - Joined the RSS as a Swayamsevak.

1942 - Joined Dayaram Gidumal National College, Hyderabad, during the Quit India movement.

1944 - Held a job as a teacher in Model High School, Karachi.

12 September, 1947 - Left from Sindh to Delhi by propeller aircraft during Paritition.

1947-1951 - Organised RSS work in Alwar, Bharatpur,Kota, Bundi and Jhalawar as RSS Secretary in the Karachi branch.

Early 1957- Shifted to Delhi to assist Shri.Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

1958-63 - Held the position of Secretary of the Delhi State Jana Sangh.

1960-1967 - Joined the Organiser , a political journal of the Jana Sangh as assistant editor.

Feb 25, 1965 - Married Smt. Kamla Advani, with whom he has two children, Pratibha and Jayant.

April 1970 - Entered the Rajya Sabha.

Dec 1972 - Was elected President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

26 June 1975 - Was Arrested in Bangalore during Emergency period and taken to Banaglore Central Jail along with other BJS members.

March 1977 to July 1979 - Held the position of Union minister for Information and Broadcasting .May 1986- Became Party President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

1980-86 - Held the position of General Secretary of the BJP.

May 1986 - Was announced as party President of the BJP.

3 March 1988 - Was re-elected party president of the BJP.

1988 - Held the position of Home minister in the BJP Government.

1990 - Began the Ram Rath Yatha from Somnath to Ayodhya.

1997 - Began the Swarna Jayanti Rath Yathra to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of India’s Independence.

Oct 13 1999 - May 13 2004- Held the position of Deputy Prime minister.

Shri.L.K.Advani is currently the Leader of the opposition and the Prime Ministerial candidat

Shri Rajnath Singh

Shri Rajnath Singh became the BJP National President on 31st, December 2005. As BJP President he covered the entire length and breadth of the country. He also embarked on Bharat Suraksha Yatra which covered several States taking up the cause of increasing terrorist activities and threats to internal security.

Born on 10th July 1951 in a farmer’s family at village Babhora, Tehasil Chakia, District Varansi (now district Chanduli) UP, to Shri Rambadan Singh and Srimati Gujarati Devi.

He received his basic education in the village and subsequently he completed his MSc Physics from Gorakhapur University UP. He worked as a lecturer of Physics at K.B. Post-Graduate College Mirzapur, UP.

He was a brilliant student and an active RSS worker since his student life. He became the RSS karyavah (General Secretary) of Mirzapur city in 1972. Also remained organisational secretary of ABVP Gorakhpur division from 1969 to 1971.

He entered politics in 1974 and soon became Secretary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Mirzaur. In 1975, he became District President of Jana Sangh and District Coordinator of JP Movement.

He was imprisoned during Emergency. During this period (18 months) his mother expired but he was denied parole to attend her funeral.

In 1977, he was elected as an MLA in UP Assembly.

In 1983, he became a State Secretary of UP BJP and 1984 he became a State President of BJP’s Youth Wing (BJYM). In 1986, he became National General Secretary of BJYM and subsequently National President of BJYM in 1988.

He was elected MLC for UP Legislative Council in 1988 and became Education Minister in 1991. During his tenure as Education Minister in UP he established some landmarks by introducing the Anti Copying Act and Vedic Mathematics in the syllabus and correction of various portions of’ history textbooks.

He became MP Rajya Sabha in 1994 and also the Chief Whip of the BJP in Rajya Sabha.

On 25th March 1997, he became State President of UP BJP. During this period apart from expanding and strengthening the organisation, he played a key role in saving the BJP led Government twice during the political crisis.

On 22nd November 1999, he became Union Surface Transport Minister. During this period he got the opportunity to initiate the NHDP (National Highway Development Programme), a dream project of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

On 28th October 2000, he became Chief Minister of UP and was twice elected as MLA from Haidargarh constituency in Barabanki. In 2002, he became National General Secretary of BJP.

On 24th May 2003, he became Union Minister of Agriculture and subsequently for Food Processing. During this period he initiated a few epoch making projects like Kisan Call Centre and Farm Income Insurance Scheme.

In July 2004, he was again appointed as National General Secretary of BJP.

As a General Secretary he held the charge of two states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, and ensured BJP’s victory in both the states, by his exemplary organisational ability.

He became the BJP national President on 31st, December 2005. As BJP President he covered the entire length and breadth of the country. He also embarked on Bharat Suraksha Yatra which covered several States taking up the cause of increasing terrorist activities and threats to internal security. He laid emphasis on issues of public interest like spiralling prices of essential commodities, farmers’ grievances and cynical minorityism practised by the UPA Government.

He has also written a book on Unemployment its Reasons and Remedies, when he was National President BJYM.

Source: http://drtamilisaibjp.com/?page_id=7