Bhopal, Aug 21 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paid rich tributes to late former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur on his death anniversary on Thursday.

BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, state unit chief Hemant Khandelwal, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla and the party’s state general secretary (organisation) Hitanand Sharma, among others paid tribute to Babulal Gaur.

A programme was organised at B-6, 74 Bungalow, allotted to Gaur’s daughter-in-law Krishna Gaur, who is the State Minister (Independent) for Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Yadav recalled the contributions of Babulal Gaur, saying that the late former chief minister devoted his life to serving the people, especially those belonging to the socially and economically deprived sections.

Chief Minister Yadav said that Gaur always fought for the cause of the underprivileged people.

“Former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur always raised the voice of the poor people. His invaluable contribution to the development of Bhopal will always be remembered. I paid my respect by offering floral tribute to him on his birth anniversary,” Yadav said.

Babulal Gaur was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from August 23, 2004, to November 29, 2005.

However, he was later replaced by the current Union Minister and BJP veteran Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who remained in the chief ministerial chair till 2024 (barring a gap of 18 months in between).

Babulal Gaur represented the Govindpura Assembly seat in Bhopal 10 times.

Since first becoming an MLA in 1974, he had won all 10 elections. Later, his daughter-in-law Krishna Gaur emerged as the Govindpura Constituency representative in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

Longevity was not the only characteristic that marked Babulal Gaur’s political career. There were also equal measures of controversy, candidness and colour.

According to reports, he had a rough sailing during childhood. Later, he worked in a textile mill, joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was part of the trade union movement.

Babulal Gaur, who is credited with expanding the footprints of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, died on August 21, 2019, at the age of 89 at a hospital in Bhopal.

–IANS

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