Ram Vilas Paswan

Ram Vilas Paswan Biography

Ram Vilas Paswan was an Indian politician from Bihar and the Cabinet Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Paswan was also the president of the Lok Janshakti Party, eight-time Lok Sabha member and current Rajya Sabha MP. He started his political career as member of Samyukta Socialist Party and was elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1969. Later, Paswan joined Lok Dal upon its formation in 1974, and became its general secretary. He opposed the emergency, and was arrested during the period. He entered the Lok Sabha in 1977, as a Janata Party member from Hajipur constituency, was chosen again 1980, 1989, 1996 and 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2014.

He served as Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Welfare (1989-90), Union Cabinet Minister of Railways (1996-98), Union Cabinet Minister, Communications (1999-2001), Union Cabinet Minister, Coal and Mines (2001-2002), Union Cabinet Minister, Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel (2004) and many other senior positions of Indian politics.

He was born in a Dalit family in Khagaria, Bihar in 1946. He holds Bachelor of Laws and Master of Arts degrees. He got involved in active politics in the late 1960’s and was a member of Samyukta Socialist Party. Paswan was elected to the Bihar state legislative assembly in 1969. He was influenced by political leaders like Raj Narayan and Jayaprakash Narayan and became the general secretary of the Lok Dal. He got arrested during Emergency period in 1975 and spent the entire time in jail. He joined Janata Party soon after his release in 1977 and won his first Parliament elections with record marginal win. He got re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 and 1984 from Hajipur constituency. In 1983, he established the Dalit Sena for Dalit people. He was re-elected in 1989 too where he was inducted to the cabinet for the first time. He became Union Minister of Labour and Welfare in V. P. Singh’s ministry.

In 1996 he led the ruling alliance or Proposition in the Lok Sabha and became the Union Railway Minister. After that he has served as union minister till 2004, undertaking different portfolios. He has married twice. He divorced his first wife Rajkumari Devi in 1981 and two years later, married Reena Sharma.

He died after a prolonged illness on 8 October 2020 at the age of 74.

Published: N/A

Updated: October 08, 2020