New Delhi: Former UP Chief Minister and BJP veteran Kalyan Singh expired on Saturday evening (Aug 21) at Lucknow.
He was 89.
"Kalyan Singhji breathed his last at around 9.15 PM," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.
The Chief Minister recalled Late Singh's contribution to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and said he was so much committed to the early construction of a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya that in December 1992, he did not mind giving up his office to uphold his commitment to the construction of the temple.
The UP government has announced three-day mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
Kalyan Singh was also Governor of Rajasthan.
"Generations to come will remain forever grateful to Kalyan Singh Ji for his contributions towards India’s cultural regeneration. He was firmly rooted in Indian values and took pride in our centuries old traditions," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted paying homage to Late Kalyan Singh.
"I am saddened beyond words. Kalyan Singh Ji…statesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader and great human. He leaves behind an indelible contribution towards the development of Uttar Pradesh. Spoke to his son Shri Rajveer Singh and expressed condolences. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister wrote.
Kalyan Singh was perhaps the first OBC leader committed to the Hindutva cause.
In his tweet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote that he has lost a "brother and a compatriot".
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati also condoled Kalyan Singh's death.
He was a two-term Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
The senior BJP leader, who was also a two-time member of Parliament, had been undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) since July 4.
He was born in Atrauli town of Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh district.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the mortal remains will also be taken to Aligarh to help people pay homage to him.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also condoled the demise of the popular leader.
