Nirmal Singh (Haryana)

Political career

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After Sanjay Gandhi’s demise, Nirmal Singh came to work closely with Rajiv Gandhi. In 1976 he was appointed Block Youth Congress President and progressed to being appointed General Secretary of Pradesh Youth Congress, Haryana in 1980. He served as President State Youth Congress from August 1982-89 for 7 straight years, which is a record in itself. Fifteen members of Youth Congress under his mentorship are now state level leaders across Haryana. In 1982, he became the youngest person to be elected as MLA from Naggal Constituency, Haryana. In 1986, he became the youngest minister in Haryana Cabinet with the Dual charge of President, State Youth Congress. Between 1987-89, he was General Secretary Haryana Pradesh Youth Congress Committee with dual charge of Youth Congress President. During 1983, he was a Member of India’s first political Youth delegation to China after war. In 1985, he accompanied Late Sh. Rajiv Gandhi ji on his first visit to U.S.A after being appointed Prime Minister of India.

In 1986, at the age of 33, he became the youngest Minister to be a part of the Haryana Cabinet along with dual charge of Youth Congress President, Haryana. He has been elected MLA 4 times from Naggal constituency in his career and held the office of Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, PWD and Revenue at different times.

He suffered a major set back in October, 1994 when he was implicated in a murder investigation. He resigned from his position as Minister of State for Revenue and was put behind bars for the next two and half years, without bail, pending trial. He contested the next election in 1996 from behind bars as an independent candidate and won with all the other contestants forfeiting their deposits. He was honorably acquitted of all charges in February, 1997. He re-joined Congress in 1999 under the presence of Sh. Ahmad Patel ji. He contested again from the same seat in 2000 and 2005 on Congress ticket. Elections of 2009 saw his old constituency dissolved under delimitation and he was given a new constituency, Ambala Cantt, to contest from. He lost the election despite of getting 43% of total polled votes in the new area. He was the first Haryana leader to raise the issue of discrimination in jobs, development and funding shown towards North-Haryana. To highlight this he held two mega-rallies in the historic grounds of Kurukshetra, Haryana. First one was ‘HISAAB LAGAO RALLY’ in year 2002 and was followed by a second mega rally as ‘HISAAB CHUKAO RALLY’ in year 2004, which saw massive participation from public and leadership alike from across Haryana. Fondly addressed as ‘Pradhan ji’, he presently holds the office of President of Distt. Congress Committee (Rural).

Current he is serving as VICE PRESIDENT of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee and Coordinator of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee.

Vision for Politics

He is a grass root leader who has built his career on a solid foundation of committed relationships and impeccable conduct.

A peoples man, he believes people should get the space and to voice their thoughts and exercise their rights whether its in organization or society. He has a reputation for being extremely approachable, very forthcoming and instant with the help he can offer and straightforward when he cannot do so. A man committed to his word, he has stayed away from ever promising falsely or leading people on with false assurances.

In matters of state politics, he was the first man to put North Haryana on the political map of state by building and activating cadres in this region. He raised the matter of leaders being sent to this area from other parts of state to contest elections and thereby killing any local leadership which would have deeper and more solid roots in the area.

He truly believes in leadership by the people and for the people in its truest sense. His method of functioning relies on local teams and booth committees being major partners in all decisions concerning development for any area.

Positions Held

1974:Joined Youth Congress under the leadership of late Shri.Sanjay Gandhi. At that time Ambika Soni was the president of IYC.

1976:Appointed Block Youth Congress President under Ghulam Nabi Azad(IYC President).

1978:Appointed District President Youth Congress, Ambala.

1980:Appointed General Secretary of Pradesh Youth Congress, Haryana.

1982:First time elected as M.L.A from Naggal Constituency, Ambala, Haryana

1982-89:Served as President State Youth Congress from August 1982 for 7 years.During this time Sh.G.N.Azad, Tariq Anwar, Anand Sharma, Mukul Vasnik, Gurda Kumar & Ramesh Chennthala were respective Presidents I.Y.C. (Note: worked Under Oscar Fernandez, Harish Rawat& Bhola Pandey when they were general secretary in charge of Haryana youth congress.)

1983:Was a Member of India’s first political youth delegation to China after war.

1985:Accompanied Late Sh.Rajiv Gandhi to U.S.A when he was the Prime minister of India.

1986:Joined Cabinet of Haryana CM Ch.Bansi Lal as State Minister with dual charge of Youth Congress President, Haryana.

1987-89:Became General Secretary Haryana Pradesh Youth Congress Committee with dual charge of Youth Congress President.

1991:Elected as M.L.A for the 2nd time, Naggal Constituency, Ambala Haryana.

1991-93:Joined Cabinet of Haryana CM Ch.Bhajan Lal as Cabinet Minister.

1996:Elected as M.L.A for 3rd time from Naggal Constituency, Ambala, Haryana.

2005:Elected as M.L.A for 4th time, Naggal Constituency, Ambala, Haryana.

2009:Lost Election from new constituency of Ambala Cantt. post delimitation of old constituency of Naggal. Got 43% of total polled votes.

2012:President of District. Congress Committee (Rural).

2014:Stood Second in Ambala Vidhan Sabha with Heavy Majority of 42% of total votes polled.

2015:Vice President of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee.

2017:President of District. Congress Committee (Rural) from last 15 years.

As philanthropist

A champion of poor and women empowerment, his house everyday sees help being extended to the poor girls' weddings, financial help for medical treatment and such to help people tide over a difficult spot.

He is foremost in supporting children who are active and show potential in sports. It usually translates into him providing kits to children, additional awards in tournaments and going out of his way to get grants for traditional sports such as wrestling and Akhaaras.

One of the activities he has actively pursued since his early days is to organize blood donation camps. First he organised blood donation camp in 1981 at Rukmani Devi Hall and collected 450 units which was record at that time. After that he again organised blood donation camp in 1985 at Village Pyarewala and collected 150 units. On the occasion of death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi Ji he organised blood donation camp at Congrees Bhawan, Ambala Cantt in 2001. Recently on Kargil Vijay Diwas, he again organized a blood donation camp inviting all of Ambala to participate. Highlight of the event was that Military Hospital team itself came and collected units to be used for the armed forces besides a total of 201 units being donated that day.