Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute, recalls Lalji’s close association with Vajpayee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 21

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon today passed away at the age of 85. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders cutting across the party lines mourned the death of the BJP veteran from Uttar Pradesh.

In his tweet, PM Modi said: “Shri Lalji Tandon was well versed with constitutional matters. He enjoyed a long and close association with beloved Atal Ji.”

BSP supremo Mayawati paid homage, calling him “a very cultured and social person”. Mayawati, as the then UP Chief Minister, tied rakhi to Tandon on Raksha Bandhan.

Belonging to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani era in the BJP, Tandon played a key role in the UP politics. Elected to the UP Assembly and council several times, he was seen as an able administrator in his decades-long political career. He also represented the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat after Vajpayee decided not to contest due to poor health. Tandon was appointed Bihar Governor in 2018.

In July 2019, he took over as the MP Governor while the Congress was in power. It was during his tenure that Kamal Nath faced an internal revolt led by Jyotiraditya Scindia that eventually saw the fall of the Congress government. During the Covid-19 crisis, Tandon opened the Raj Bhavan kitchen for preparing food packets for the needy. His son Ashutosh Tandon is a minister in Yogi Adityanath government. The UP Government announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader.