Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, Former Uttarakhand CM, Dies At 91

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and veteran BJP leader Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri passed away at the age of 91 in Dehradun on Tuesday, marking the end of a long public life that spanned military service, parliamentary work, and state leadership.

Khanduri was widely respected for his reputation of integrity, discipline, and administrative efficiency. Before entering politics, he served in the Indian Army for nearly four decades from 1954 to 1991, rising to the rank of Major General. His military background later shaped his governance style, which was often described as structured and rule-driven.

He entered electoral politics in 1991 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Garhwal constituency. Over the years, he was re-elected multiple times and built a strong parliamentary presence, earning recognition as a principled legislator who served on several key committees related to defence, transport, public accounts, and home affairs.

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Khanduri also held significant executive responsibilities at the Centre, serving as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways between 2000 and 2004. During his tenure, he was credited with contributing to infrastructure development initiatives and policy execution in the road transport sector.

He served two separate terms as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, first from 2007 to 2009 and later from 2011 to 2012. In a notable instance of political accountability, he resigned after the BJP’s poor performance in the 2009 general elections in the state, taking moral responsibility for the outcome.

After returning to Parliament in 2014 for his fifth Lok Sabha term, he continued to play an advisory role in national policy matters, including as chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on defence. Widely known as “General Sahib,” Khanduri’s legacy is associated with clean governance, austerity in public life, and disciplined leadership.

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