Raj Narain is a prominent political name, which finds its glorious presence in pre-independence and post-independence India.
His popularity among the people was so widespread that he earned the nickname “Lok Bandhu”.
He was a socialist at heart and was close to Mr. Ram Manohar Lohia. According to him, if there were 2 or 3 Indians more than Raj Narain, the dictatorship would never threaten Indian democracy.
Raj Narain Biography
| Name | – | Raj Narain |
| Place of Birth | – | 15th March 1917 |
| Birth Place | – | Benares State |
| Education | – | Banaras Hindu University, St. John’s College, Agra |
| Organization | – | founded by Janata Party (Secular) |
| Date of Death | – | 31st December 1986 |
| Death Place | – | New Delhi |
History of Raj Narain
Born in 1917 in Motikoat (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh. He was the direct descendant of Maharaja Balwant Singh and Maharaja Chet Singh, who ruled Varanasi more than 100 years ago. He was in favor of higher education and obtained a master’s degree and an LLB.
His socialist values led him to become a member of the Socialist Party in which he held various positions. His strong moral character was greatly appreciated by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia.
Achievements: Before Independence and After Independence
When the Quit India movement began in 1942, he held the position of President of the Student Congress. He acted as a very good leader of the Varanasi movement.
When it began on August 9, 1942, it showed a tremendous capacity for guidance. He finally made him popular as a freedom fighter. His influence on the other revolutionaries was so profound that he created a fear in the minds of the colonial authorities.
Therefore, the government did not want it to move freely. In the same year, it was announced that whoever caught him would get a cash prize of 5000 rupees.
Raj Narain was a powerful member of the Janata Party. Although his political career has seen many episodes that could be described as successful, he is best known for his amazing victory against Indira Gandhi in 1977.
He was the candidate of the Janata party of Rae Bareli and challenged Ms. Gandhi, who was the most powerful candidate from the party. Initially, it seemed that Indira Gandhi would sweep the elections due to her high stature in politics.
However, Raj Narain with his strong ideology and strength of character won the hearts of the people and won the most votes. The impressive electoral victory can be attributed to the request of Raj Narain against Indira Gandhi in the High Court of Allahabad.
According to him, the victory of Congress in the 1971 elections was obtained by fraudulent means. The Court ruled in her favor and Ms. Gandhi was deprived of her right to participate in the elections for six years.
The incident tarnished the positive image of Congress and gave the Janata party a good chance to be the winner of the 1977 election.
Death of Raj Narain
Raj Narain died on 31st December 1986, at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. His dedication to India in the days before independence and post-independence made him spend a lot of time in prison.
In total, the length of his stay in prison was 17 years. He had been imprisoned for his anti-British activities for 3 years. The rest of 14 years, spent in prison for their activities against Congress.
