Vishvendra Singh (born 23 June 1962) also known as Maharaja Vishvendra Singh is the scion of Sinsinwar Jat rulers of Bharatpur state and a politician in Rajasthan who has served as the Cabinet Minister of Tourism in the department of civil aviation of the Government of Rajasthan from November 2021 to December 2023.[2] He served as the Minister of Tourism and Devasthan in the Government of Rajasthan from December 2018 to July 2020. He also served as the Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for three terms representing Nadbai constituency in 1993 and Deeg-Kumher constituency in 2013 and 2018. He was elected to the Lok Sabha representing Bharatpur constituency in 1989, 1999 and 2004.[3][4]

Maharaja
Vishvendra Singh
Cabinet Minister of Tourism Civil Aviation Government of Rajasthan
In office
21 November 2021 – December 2023
Succeeded byGautam Kumar
Minister of Tourism
Government of Rajasthan
In office
25 December 2018 – 14 July 2020
Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot
Deputy Chief MinisterSachin Pilot
Preceded byKrishnendra Kaur (Deepa), BJP
Minister of Devasthan
Government of Rajasthan
In office
25 December 2018 – 14 July 2020
Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot
Deputy Chief MinisterSachin Pilot
Preceded byRaj Kumar Rinwa, BJP
Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
11 December 2018 – 2023
Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot
SpeakerC. P. Joshi
Succeeded byDr. Shailesh Singh,[1] BJP
In office
8 December 2013 – 11 December 2018
Chief MinisterVasundhra Raje
SpeakerKailash Chandra Meghwal
Preceded byDigamber Singh, BJP
ConstituencyDeeg-Kumher
Member of Parliament
Lok Sabha
In office
2004–2009
Prime MinisterDr. Manmohan Singh
Lok Sabha SpeakerSomnath Chatterjee
Succeeded byRatan Singh, INC
ConstituencyBharatpur
In office
1999–2004
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Lok Sabha SpeakerManohar Joshi
Preceded byK. Natwar Singh, INC
ConstituencyBharatpur
In office
1989–1991
Prime MinisterV. P. Singh
Lok Sabha SpeakerRabi Ray
Preceded byK. Natwar Singh, INC
Succeeded byKrishnendra Kaur (Deepa), BJP
ConstituencyBharatpur
Maharaja of Bharatpur
Assumed office
8 July 1995
Preceded byBrijendra Singh
ConstituencyBharatpur
Personal details
Born (1962-06-23) 23 June 1962 (age 62)
Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
Political partyIndian National Congress 2008-present,
Other political
affiliations
SpouseMaharani Divya Singh
ChildrenYuvraj Anirudh Singh of Bharatpur
Parent

Early life

edit

Singh, hails from the Sinsinwar Jat clan of Bharatpur, was born into royalty on June 23, 1962, at Moti Mahal in Bharatpur. He is the son of Maharaja Sawai Brijendra Singh, the 13th Maharaja of Bharatpur.[3]

Political career

edit

Singh political career began with the Indian National Congress and became Zila Pramukh in 1988 and then he joined Janata Dal in 1989 and became member of the Lok Sabha for the first time after which he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1991.[4] He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha representing Bharatpur for three terms from 1989 to 1991 as a member of Janata Dal, 1999 to 2009 as a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.[5][6][7] During his tenure, he was part of the Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests from 1999 to 2004, and the Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice in 2004 to 2009.

In 2008, Singh switched to the Indian National Congress due to conflicts with his BJP colleague Digamber Singh. His move to Congress marked his return to the party after two decades. As a member of Congress party, he contested the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections and has been elected as MLA for the Nadbai constituency from 1993 to 1998 and Deeg-Kumher constituency for two terms, 2013–2018 and 2018–2023.[8]

Singh ministerial roles in the Rajasthan government have been significant. He served as the Minister of Tourism and Devasthan from December 2018 to July 2020, under chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. Later, he held the portfolio of Tourism and Civil Aviation from November 2021 to December 2023.[9]

His political journey has been influenced by his royal heritage as the son of the last ruler of the princely state of Bharatpur, Maharaja Brijendra Singh. Despite the abolition of official symbols of princely India, including titles and privileges, in the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India in 1971, Singh’s royal background has provided him with a unique political leverage.[2]

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly

edit
SI No. Year Legislative Assembly Constituency Margin Party Post
1. 1993 10th Nadbai 33,378 Indian National Congress MLA
2. 2013 14th Deeg-Kumher 11,162 Indian National Congress MLA
3. 2018 15th Deeg-Kumher 8,218 Indian National Congress MLA

Lok Sabha

edit
SI No. Year Lok Sabha Constituency Party Committee
1. 1989 9th Bharatpur Janata Dal -
2. 1999 13th Bharatpur Bhartiya Janta Party Member of the Committee on Science & Technology and Forest & Environment.
3. 2004 14th Bharatpur Bhartiya Janta Party Member of the Committee on Personal & Public Grievance and Law & Justice.

References

edit
  1. ^ https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/deeg-kumher-assembly-election-results-2023-live-2470685-2023-12-03
  2. ^ a b India Today, Volume 10. Thomson Living Media India Limited. 1985. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Maharaja Vishvendra Singh Of Bharatpur". Jat Chiefs. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b "राजस्थान ऑडियो कांड : 34 साल के सियासी सफर में पहली बार मंत्री बने विश्वेंद्र सिंह यूं फंसे". One India.
  5. ^ "IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 1989". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. ^ "IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 1999". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  7. ^ "IndiaVotes PC: Rajasthan 2004". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Constituency watch: Three-time Bharatpur MP has the edge". Hindustan Times. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Rajasthan: Vishvendra Singh takes charge as tourism minister in Ashok Gehlot govt". The Times of India. 24 November 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
edit