The Return Of Khurana
Just a few months ago, Madan Lal Khurana, the
veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader and dethroned Delhi chief minister,
was sad. Terribly sad. So sad, in fact, that he
wanted out from politics.
"I am contemplating retirement," the 61-year-old politician said.
Khurana's depression arose from sheer frustration. At his inability to get back his chief ministership, which he had handed over to party colleague Sahib Singh Verma on being chargesheeted in the infamous Jain hawala case. The Delhi high court had acquitted him, but Verma dug in his feet and
stayed put. Worse, the BJP high command decided in
Verma's favour, and an agitated Khurana
charged the party's leaders with going back on their word. However,
an 'agyatwas' (self-imposed exile) of a few days cooled him
off and
he was back in Delhi as a loyal party worker.
But now, Khurana's patience has paid off. And his induction into the Atal Bihari Vajpayee ministry marks a revival in his political career.
Born on October 15, 1936, in Layalpur (now in Pakistan), Khurana joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at the tender
age of eight years. After Partition, his family moved to Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Active as a Sangh worker right through his student days, he went to jail for three months at the age of 16 for taking part in the agitation launched by Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
in Jammu and Kashmir.
He served as the national general secretary of the BJP's students
wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
Active in Delhi politics since 1966 when he became a
member of the metropolitan council, Khurana was elected to the
house for four terms between 1967 and 1989. Functioning as executive
councillor from 1977 to 1980, he looked after various departments
including civil supplies, health, industry and employment.
Actively involved with Jayaprakash Narayan's movement, he spent
13 months in jail during the Emergency.
He entered Parliament for the first time in 1989, winning from
the South Delhi constituency. He retained the seat in the 1991
general election, but resigned two years later to take over as
Delhi chief minister.
UNI
Elections '98
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