Former Congress leader Buta Singh died on Saturday at the age of 86.
Buta Singh, who was born in Jalandhar, fought his first election on an Akali Dal ticket, but later joined the Congress. Buta Singh won his first Lok Sabha election in 1962.
Buta Singh won election to the Lok Sabha a total of eight times (1962, 1967, 1971, 1980, 1984, 1991, 1998 and 1999).
Buta Singh served in various portfolios during the tenures of Indira Gandhi, including as minister of state for shipping and transport and minister of state for sports and minister for parliamentary affairs.
Under Rajiv Gandhi, Buta Singh went on to serve as minister for agriculture and from 1986 to 1989 as Union home minister. Buta Singh was criticised for orchestrating the dismissal of multiple state governments during his tenure as home minister. He was often referred to as "Rajiv's axe man" for this.
Buta Singh had to resign from the Narasimha Rao government, where he was civil supplies minister, in early 1996 after his name cropped up in the Jain Hawala case.
Buta Singh left the Congress and contested as an independent from Rajasthan in 1998. He subsequently joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, serving as communications minister. However, he was forced to resign within a month after charges were framed against him in the JMM bribery case. Both Buta Singh and Narasimha Rao were convicted in the JMM case in 2000.
Buta Singh was appointed governor of Bihar but was forced to resign in 2006 after the Supreme Court rebuked him for dissolving the state Assembly in an alleged attempt to prevent Nitish Kumar from becoming chief minister.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Buta Singh, tweeting, "Shri Buta Singh Ji was an experienced administrator and effective voice for the welfare of the poor as well as downtrodden. Saddened by his passing away. My condolences to his family and supporters."
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal tweeted, "Deeply disheartened by the sad demise of Sardar Buta Singh ji. A stalwart Congressman and Parliamentarian par distinction, he immensely contributed to nation-building as a Minister of 18 Departments."
