Akhilesh Das
Encyclopedia
Akhilesh Das Gupta is an India
n politician
, currently representing the Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP) in the Rajya Sabha
. Earlier he had long been in an Rajya Sabha
MP with the Indian National Congress
party. He has never won a general election seat in any legislative body.
He is the son of Banarasi Das, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
.
party, he was nominated (elected by the State Legislature) to the Rajya Sabha
in 1996 and 2002, and then by the BSP in November 2008. He served as Minister of State
for Steel in the Manmohan Singh
cabinet, but was dropped in April 2008 after it was discovered that he was parlaying with Mayawati
for shifting to BSP.
One month after being dropped from the Union cabinet, he resigned from the Congress Party. Four days later he joined the BSP, which had been widely expected to do well in the elections. He was made the party's National General Secretary. Siraj Mehndi and some other supporters also switched to BSP along with him.
In May 2009, Das ran in Lucknow, but he lost the elections
, coming third behind Lalji Tandon
of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and his erstwhile party leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi of the Congress.
During the elections, he had gathered flak from the Election Commission
for making sexist remarks about Samajwadi Party
candidate Nafisa Ali.
Earlier, in 1993, he had been the Mayor
of Lucknow
. Elected to the mayorship while very young, he is alleged to have quickly acquired a fortune by underpricing prime land to developers. He was also the secretary of the Congress in May 2003.
, Public Administration
and Management
, and a Doctorate
in Business Administration. He is the owner of three engineering colleges and a dental college. He also owns several small newspapers in Lucknow, including the Jansatta Express.
He had been a badminton player in his youth and represented the State at the national championships in the late 1980s. He is now involved in Sports administration and is the Vice president of the Badminton Association of India.
From 1998 till 2004 he also served on the Board of the All India Council of Technical Education.
Das is married Alka Das, an has a son and a daughter.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, currently representing the Bahujan Samaj Party
Bahujan Samaj Party
The Bahujan Samaj Party is a centrist national political party in India with socialist leanings. It was formed to chiefly represent Bahujans , referring to people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes as well as Buddhists. The party claims to be inspired by the...
(BSP) in the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
. Earlier he had long been in an Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
MP with the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party. He has never won a general election seat in any legislative body.
He is the son of Banarasi Das, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
Political career
1996 to 2008, while with the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party, he was nominated (elected by the State Legislature) to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
in 1996 and 2002, and then by the BSP in November 2008. He served as Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Steel in the Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
cabinet, but was dropped in April 2008 after it was discovered that he was parlaying with Mayawati
Mayawati
Mayawati is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India. She heads the Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the Bahujans or Dalits, the weakest strata of Indian society. This is her fourth term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh...
for shifting to BSP.
One month after being dropped from the Union cabinet, he resigned from the Congress Party. Four days later he joined the BSP, which had been widely expected to do well in the elections. He was made the party's National General Secretary. Siraj Mehndi and some other supporters also switched to BSP along with him.
In May 2009, Das ran in Lucknow, but he lost the elections
Indian general election in Uttar Pradesh, 2009
The Indian general election, 2009 in Uttar Pradesh were held for 80 seats with the state going to polls across all the five phases of the general elections. The major contenders in the state were the National Democratic Alliance , Indian National Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Fourth Front...
, coming third behind Lalji Tandon
Lalji Tandon
Lalji Tandon is an Indian politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party , known as a protegee of Atal Behari Vajpayee....
of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) and his erstwhile party leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi of the Congress.
During the elections, he had gathered flak from the Election Commission
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission is to conduct free and fair elections in India...
for making sexist remarks about Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party is a political party in India. It is based in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It describes itself as a democratic socialist party...
candidate Nafisa Ali.
Earlier, in 1993, he had been the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. Elected to the mayorship while very young, he is alleged to have quickly acquired a fortune by underpricing prime land to developers. He was also the secretary of the Congress in May 2003.
Personal life
Das has done his secondary education from Colvin Taluqdars'college, Lucknow. Das holds degrees in LawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, Public Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
and Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, and a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Business Administration. He is the owner of three engineering colleges and a dental college. He also owns several small newspapers in Lucknow, including the Jansatta Express.
He had been a badminton player in his youth and represented the State at the national championships in the late 1980s. He is now involved in Sports administration and is the Vice president of the Badminton Association of India.
From 1998 till 2004 he also served on the Board of the All India Council of Technical Education.
Das is married Alka Das, an has a son and a daughter.