A big name of Hathras politics, Ramveer Upadhyay passes away

By: Divya Thearia

3rd September 2022 (New Delhi): Ramveer Upadhyay, a former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister, has passed away. He had been ill for a long time. On receiving the news of his death late on Friday evening, there was despair among the supporters. Ramveer Upadhyay, who became MLA for the fifth time from the Sadabad seat in Hathras district, had to face this time. He was running ill even before he lost the election.

Ramveer Upadhyay, who is an MLA from all the seats in the district, was born in 1957 in Bamoli village of Hathras. He did his schooling from Hathras. After doing LLB, he also practised law in Meerut and Ghaziabad. He became active in politics before the 1991 elections. In 1996, he contested from Hathras on a BSP ticket, won, and became a cabinet minister in Mayawati’s cabinet for the first time.

Political journey of Ramveer Upadhyay

On May 3, 1997, he got the credit of separating Hathras from Aligarh and creating a new district. From Hathras seat, he was elected MLA on a BSP ticket in 1996, 2002 and 2007 and became a minister in Mayawati’s cabinet every time. He is a recognised leader, a former and very close minister to Mayawati. Ramveer Upadhyay contested the 2012 election from the Sikandrau seat of Hathras and won.

He was made the Chief Whip of the BSP Legislature Party and a member of the Business Advisory Committee in 2012-12. He was a member of the Lok Sekha Committee in 2016-17. In 2017, he became an MLA from Sadabad. During the 2022 assembly elections, he left the BSP and contested for the BJP in the Sadabad assembly constituency. In this, he had to face defeat from RLD’s candidate, Pradeep Chaudhary Guddu. His entire family is active in politics. Seema Upadhyay, his wife became the District Panchayat President for two consecutive terms in 2002 and 2007. In the year 2009, she was elected as an MP from Fatehpur Sikri. She defeated cine star Raj Babbar. Presently, Seema is the District Panchayat President of BJP. Ramveer Upadhyay’s younger brother, Vinod Upadhyay, became the District Panchayat President in 2015. The second brother, Mukul Upadhyay, became an MLA from the BSP in the by-election of Iglas seat in 2005. He was also the Aligarh Division MLC and the Director of the State Bridge Corporation. He is currently a member of the BJP. The youngest brother, Rameshwar, is presently the Block Head of Mursan.

Condolences on his death

Leaders from across the political spectrum condoled the death of former BJP minister 
Ramveer Upadhyay, who passed away late Friday. UP chief minster, Yogi Adityanath
 expressed grief at the demise of the BJP stalwart as he said ” The demise of former Uttar Pradesh and senior politician Shri Ramvat Upadhyay ji is extremely sad. Praying to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed soul a place at his feet and strength to bereaved family members to bear this unfathomable loss.”

President of Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav also mourned the death of Ramveer Upadhyay as he said “Very sad! Former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Shri Ramveer Upadhyay ji passed away, irreparable loss! Deepest condolences to bereaved families.”