J&K Ex-Governor Satyapal Malik Passes Away After Prolonged Illness

Image: IANS

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after a prolonged illness. 

He died at the age of 79 at 1.10 pm today at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, according to Malik's Personal Secretary, KS Rana, ANI reported.

Malik served as the last Governor of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019. During his tenure, the central government abrogated Article 370, leading to the reorganization of the state into three Union Territories.

Satyapal Malik early life

He began his political journey in 1965-66 and served as the President of the Meerut College and Meerut University. In 1974, he won the Baghpat Assembly seat with Bharatiya Kranti Dal and became its Chief Whip. Later, he served as Lok Dal’s All-India General Secretary and joined the Rajya Sabha in 1980. After switching to Congress in 1984, he resigned in 1987 over the Bofors scandal.

He also formed Jan Morcha, which merged with Janata Dal and during this period, he worked closely with former PM Vishwanath Pratap Singh and actively participated in the Jan-Jagran movement.

He held key roles in the Janata Dal as its Secretary and Spokesperson from 1987 to 1991 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Aligarh in 1989.

Satyapal Malik Joined BJP

In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contested from the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat.

In the following years, he rose steadily within the BJP and served as Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh unit from 2005 to 2006), All-India Incharge of the BJP Kisan Morcha in 2009, and later as the party's National Vice President in 2012. He also played a significant role in drafting the BJP’s agricultural manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and was reappointed as National Vice President that year.

(With ANI inputs)