It is often said that politicians are of two kinds. Firstly, those who enjoy the perks of power by learning the art of staying close to the ruling dispensation and secondly those who forge their own path in the complex world of public life and politics. There is also a third category. Those who start politics based on ideology and utopian principles but somewhere in the journey get caught up with the "practicalities and realities" of politics. One such character was Ram Naresh Yadav, former UP CM, who was once known as the "Gandhi" of Purvanchal or Eastern UP.
November 22 marks the death anniversary of Ram Naresh Yadav, a politician who was known for his daring but whose legacy was marred by the Vyapam Scam. He was born on July 1, 1928.
Ram Naresh Yadav was the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state in terms of population. He held the post from 1977 to 1979. Initially, he was with the Janata Party and then joined the Congress party. It is said that he had reached the Governor House in an auto rickshaw to stake claim for the CM's post and then also tendered his resignation in an auto-rickshaw.
He also served as the Deputy Chief Minister under the government of Babu Banarasi Das from 1979 to 1980.
He reached the peak of his political career in 1989 when he was appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
He was also the Governor of Madhya Pradesh from August 26, 2011 to September 7, 2016. Ram Naresh Yadav died after prolonged illness and ailments on November 22, 2016.
