Ram Govind Chaudhary

Ram Govind Chaudhary (born 9 July 1946) is one of the prominent socialist leaders of India who has served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022.^[1] He was in charge of Basic Education and Child Nutrition and Development Ministries in previous Samajwadi Party Government of Uttar Pradesh led by Akhilesh Yadav.^[2] He is Member of Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from the Bansdih assembly seat, Ballia.^[3]

Ram Govind Chaudhary
Leader of the Opposition, 17th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh
In office 27 March 2017 – 10 March 2022
Chief Minister	Yogi Adityanath
Preceded by	Gaya Charan Dinkar
Succeeded by	Akhilesh Yadav
Member of Legislative Assembly of Bansdih
In office March 2012 – March 2022
Preceded by	Shiv Shankar
Succeeded by	Ketaki Singh
In office February 2002 – May 2007
Preceded by	Bacha Pathak
Succeeded by	Shiv Shankar
Constituency	Bansdih, Ballia
Ministry of Basic Education, Child Development and Nutrition Government of Uttar Pradesh
In office May 2012 – March 2017
Chief Minister	Akhilesh Yadav
Member of Legislative Assembly of Chilkahar
In office June 1991 – December 1992
Succeeded by	Sangram Singh Yadav
In office December 1989 – April 1991
In office March 1985 – November 1989
In office June 1980 – March 1985
In office June 1977 – February 1980
Preceded by	Jagannath Chaudhary
Constituency	Chilkahar, Ballia
Personal details
Born	(1946-07-09) 9 July 1946 (age 78) Ballia, United Provinces, British India
Political party	Samajwadi Party
Spouse	Kalawati Devi
Children	1
Residence(s)	Lucknow and Ballia
Alma mater	Gorakhpur University, University of Lucknow
Profession	Politician, advocate

He had closely worked with Jayaprakash Narayan and Chandra Shekhar. He is one of the close associates of Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav.^[1]

Early life and education

Chaudhary was born on 9 July 1946 in Gosaipur, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh to Dwarika Choudhary.^[4][5] In 1974, he got Bachelor of Arts degree from Gorakhpur University, and in 1982, he received a degree in LLB from Lucknow University.^[6][5]

Political career

Chaudhary has been MLA for eight terms. From 1977 to 1992 he represented Chilkahar constituency in Ballia of Uttar Pradesh. Since 2002, he represented Bansdih (Assembly constituency) in Ballia as a member of Samajwadi Party. He was also Minister of Horticulture and Food Processing in Mulayam Singh Yadav cabinet (1990-91) and Minister of Child Development and Nutrition, Basic Education in Mulayam Singh Yadav cabinet (2003-07) and Akhilesh Yadav cabinet (2012-17).^[5]

Since March 2017, he serves as Leader of opposition in Seventeenth Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh, as a leader of Samajwadi Party.^[5]

Posts held

• 1977-1980
  • Member, 7th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (First Term)^[7]
  • Member, Estimate Committee
• 1980-1985
  • Member, 8th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Second Term)^[8]
• 1985-1989
  • Member, 9th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Third Term)^[9]
  • Whip, Janata Party Legislature Party
  • Member, Joint Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Denotified Tribes
• 1989-1991
  • Member, 10th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Fourth Term)^[10]
  • Minister, Horticulture and Food Processing (Mulayam Singh Yadav Cabinet)
  • Member, Joint Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes and Denotified Tribes
  • Member, Question & Reference Committee
• 1991-1992
  • Member, 11th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Fifth Term)^[11]
• 2002-2007
  • Member, 14th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Sixth Term)^[12]
  • Minister, Child Development and Nutrition (Mulayam Singh Yadav Cabinet)
  • Member, Joint Committee on Public Undertakings and Corporations
• 2012-2017
  • Member, 16th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Seventh Term)^[13]
  • Minister, Child Development and Nutrition, Basic Education, Social Welfare and Panchayati Raj (Akhilesh Yadav Cabinet)
• 2017-2022
  • Member, 17th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh (Eighth Term)^[14][15]
  • Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh.

Personal life

He is married to Kalawati Devi. They have a son.^[5]