Vishwanath Pratap Singh

Prime Minister of India

25 June 1931 Allahabad, United Provinces, British India

27 November 2008(2008-11-27) (77) New Delhi, India

2 December 1989 – 10 November 1990

Founder Janata Dal 7th Prime Minister of India Not to be confused with V. P. Singh Badnore or V. K. Singh. 41St Raja Bahadur of MandaVishwanath Pratap SinghSingh in 19837th Prime Minister of IndiaIn office 2 December 1989 – 10 November 1990PresidentR. VenkataramanDeputyChaudhary Devi LalPreceded by Rajiv GandhiSucceeded by Chandra ShekharMinister of External AffairsIn office 2 December 1989 – 5 December 1989Preceded by P. V. Narasimha RaoSucceeded by I. K. GujralMinister of DefenceIn office 2 December 1989 – 10 November 1990Preceded by Krishna Chandra PantSucceeded by Chandra ShekharIn office 24 January 1987 – 12 April 1987Prime Minister Rajiv GandhiPreceded by Rajiv GandhiSucceeded by Krishna Chandra PantMinister of FinanceIn office 31 December 1984 – 23 January 1987Prime Minister Rajiv GandhiPreceded by Pranab MukherjeeSucceeded by Rajiv GandhiLeader of the House, Rajya SabhaIn office December 1984 – April 1987Preceded by Pranab MukherjeeSucceeded by Narayan Datt Tiwari12th Chief Minister of Uttar PradeshIn office 9 June 1980 – 19 July 1982GovernorChandeshwar Prasad Narayan SinghPreceded by Banarsi DasSucceeded by Sripati MishraMember of Parliament, Rajya SabhaIn office 1983–1988ConstituencyUttar PradeshMember of Parliament, Lok SabhaIn office 1989–1996Preceded by Hari Krishna ShastriSucceeded by Vishambhar Prasad NishadConstituencyFatehpurIn office 1980–1980Preceded by Janeshwar MishraSucceeded by Krishna Prakash TiwariConstituencyAllahabadIn office 1988–1989Preceded by Amitabh BachchanSucceeded by Janeshwar MishraConstituencyAllahabadIn office 1971–1977Preceded by Janeshwar MishraSucceeded by Kamala BahugunaConstituencyPhulpur Personal detailsBornVishwanath Pratap Singh (1931-06-25 ) 25 June 1931 Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India)Died27 November 2008(2008-11-27) (aged 77) New Delhi, IndiaCause of deathMultiple myelomaPolitical partyIndian National Congress (Before 1987) Janata Dal (1988–1998) Jan Morcha (1987–1988, 2006–2008)Spouse(s)Sita Kumari ​(m. 1955 )​ChildrenAjeya Pratap Singh and Abhai SinghAlma materAllahabad University (B.A., LL.B.) University of Pune (B.Sc.)Pretender informationTitle(s)41st Raja Bahadur of MandaThrone(s) claimedMandaPretend from1971–2008Monarchy abolished1971 (26th Amendment of the Constitution)Last monarchHimselfSuccessorAjeya Pratap Singh 41st Raja Bahadur of MandaReign1941–1947PredecessorRam Gopal SinghTitular Reign1947–1971HouseGaharwalReligionHinduismSignature Vishwanath Pratap Singh (Hindi pronunciation:  ) (25 June 1931 – 27 November 2008), also known as V. P. Singh, was an Indian politician who was the 7th Prime Minister of India from 1989 to 1990 and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda. He is India's only prime minister to have been a former monarch. He was educated at the Allahabad University and Pune University. In 1969, he joined the Indian National Congress party and was elected as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. In 1971, he became a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. He served as the Minister of Commerce from 1976 to 1977. In 1980, he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and was known for the encounter of the gang of Phoolan Devi. In the Rajiv Gandhi ministry, Singh was given various cabinet posts, including Minister of Finance and Minister of Defence. Singh was also the Leader of the Rajya Sabha from 1984 to 1987. During his tenure as Minister of Defence, the Bofors scandal came to light, and Singh resigned from the ministry. In 1988, he formed the Janata Dal party by merging various factions of the Janata Party. In the 1989 elections, the National Front, with the support of the BJP, formed the government and Singh became the 7th Prime Minister of India. During his tenure as prime minister, he implemented the Mandal Commission report for India's backward castes, which led to major protests against the act. He also created the Sixty-second Amendment and enacted the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act in 1989. During his term the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed happened and on the ground the terrorists were released. In 1990 the infamous exodus of Kashmiri Hindus happened from the valley of Kashmir. Afterwards there were made the tussle of Singh with the Reliance Group. Following his opposition to the Ram Rath Yatra, the BJP withdrew its support for the National Front, and his government lost the vote of no-confidence. Singh resigned on 7 November 1990. His prime ministerial tenure lasted for 343 days. Singh was the prime ministerial candidate for the National Front in the 1991 elections, but was defeated. He spoke out against the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. After 1996, Singh retired from political posts, but continued to remain a public figure and political critic. He was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in 1998, and ceased public appearances until the cancer went into remission in 2003. He died on 27 November 2008, at the age of 78 due to kidney failure and was honoured with state honour.