BSP Lone MLA Uma Shankar Singh Passes Away After Battle With Cancer

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has suffered a significant loss with the passing of its sole MLA, Uma Shankar Singh. Singh, who represented the Rasra constituency in the Ballia district, breathed his last after a prolonged battle with cancer, while he was undergoing treatment for the disease when his condition deteriorated. A resident of Khanwar village in the Rasra tehsil of Ballia, Uma Shankar Singh was a prominent figure in the party and held the distinction of being the only BSP representative in the current Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Mayawati Expresses Deep Grief

BSP supremo Mayawati expressed her profound sorrow over the demise of the dedicated leader, while in a heartfelt post, she described Singh as a hardworking, honest, and completely loyal MLA. She stated that the news of his passing this evening, following a long illness, was extremely saddening. Mayawati extended her deepest condolences to his family and all his supporters. She further emphasized his unwavering loyalty to the party, noting that no amount of praise would be enough for his dedication. She mentioned that his entire family is like a part of the BSP family and that they always accorded her the respect of an elder sister. Mayawati revealed that she had been in constant touch with his son and received the news of his death directly from him. She assured the family that the entire party stands with them in this hour of grief and encouraged them to face the situation with courage.

A Three-Term Winning Streak

Uma Shankar Singh's political journey was marked by consistent success in the Rasra constituency. He first contested and won the assembly elections on a BSP ticket in 2012. His popularity remained intact in 2017 when Mayawati reposed her faith in him once again. Despite a strong wave in favor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) across the state, Singh managed to secure his seat, proving his strong local connect, while he repeated this feat in the 2022 assembly elections, returning to the house as the sole representative of the Bahujan Samaj Party. His ability to win even during challenging political climates made him a vital asset for the party.

Legal Controversies and Lokayukta Investigation

The political career of Uma Shankar Singh wasn't without its share of controversies, while advocate Subhash Chandra Singh filed an affidavit on 18 December 2013, lodging a complaint against him with the Lokayukta organization. The allegation was that even after becoming an MLA, Singh continued to take government contracts from the Public Works Department (PWD) for road construction, while the then Lokayukta, Justice NK Mehrotra, conducted an investigation into the matter and found Singh guilty. Consequently, in 2015, he was declared disqualified from his assembly membership. Singh challenged this decision in the High Court, while in 2016, the High Court directed the Election Commission to conduct its own investigation and inform the Governor. Following these developments, his membership was officially terminated on 14 January 2017, although he later returned to the assembly through subsequent elections.

From Student Politics to Business Empire

Uma Shankar Singh's early education took place in Ballia, where he first entered the arena of student politics during his college days. Although he didn't find much success in student politics, he later ventured into the field of government contracting, where he achieved immense success and built significant wealth. During this time, he also contested and won the Zila Panchayat elections. His business interests grew rapidly, and he founded a company named Chhatra Shakti Constructions, which specializes in road construction. He also expanded his business into the mining sector, the hotel industry, and the education sector by establishing schools. His wife, Pushpa, also holds a key position in the family's business ventures as the Managing Director of CS Infra Construction Limited.