Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is popularly lauded by the millions of his supporters as “Rajasthan Ka Ek hi Singh”, is one of the oldest BJP leaders in India.
Personal Life of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was born on October 23,1923 at Khachariyawas of Sikar district in Rajasthan. His father’s name was Shri Devi Singh Shekhawat and his mother was Shrimati Banne Kanwar.
He was forced by poverty to quit his education before completing high school. He then found a job of a police constable. He became an RSS functionary from a young age.
He is married to Shrimati Suraj Kanwar and they have a daughter Shrimati Ratan Kanwar who is married to Shri Narpat Singh Rajvi, senior BJP leader of Rajasthan and a former cabinet minister in the Govt of Rajashan.
Political Career of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
In 1952, he quit his job to contest the first Assembly elections as a Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate. The party won surprisingly on nine seats and Shekhawat was one of them. He served as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan state three times, from 1977 to 1980, 1990 to 1992, and 1993 to 1998.
In 2002, he became the 12th Vice-President of India when he defeated the opposition candidate, Sushil Kumar Shinde by a margin of 149 votes out of the 750 votes polled.
In July 2007, Shekhawat fought President elections as an independent candidate backed by National Democratic Allianceas a popular Presidential candidate next to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam; but lost to United Progressive Alliance-Left backed candidate Pratibha Patil.
