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March 19, 1998

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ELECTIONS '96

The man who brought down Ajit Singh

Som Pal, the former confidant of veteran Janata Dal leader V P Singh, has earned a ministerial berth by defeating political heavyweight and Bharatiya Kisan Kamgar Party chief Ajit Singh in the Baghpat constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

Economist, lawyer and agriculturalist rolled into one, Som Pal brings to office a rich administrative experience.

A sitting Rajya Sabha member, he was associated with the Janata Dal for many years. When former Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav carved the Rashtriya Janata Dal out from the Janata Dal in 1996, Som Pal threw his lot with the new party.

However, his association with the Bihar strongman was short-lived. On December 25, 1997, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was propelled into limelight when he defeated Ajit Singh. Baghpat was considered to be the stronghold of Ajit Singh and before him, his father and former prime minister, Charan Singh.

Born on January 20, 1942 at Kakor Kalan village in Meerut district to Raghuvir Singh Shastri and Ganga Devi, Som Pal attended the Hans Raj and Kirori Mal colleges in Delhi. Later, he took an LLB degree from the Delhi university law faculty.

UNI

Elections '98

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