Bihar CM Nitish Kumar condoles death of senior Congress leader Buta Singh

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday condoled the death of veteran Congress leader Buta Singh, who was the state's governor when he formed his first majority government a decade and a half ago. In his condolence message, Kumar expressed grief over the demise of Singh and recalled his long political journey, which included, besides the gubernatorial assignment, several stints at the Union cabinet.

Singh was the Bihar Governor for less than two years, until his resignation in January 2006.

His tenure is remembered the most for the controversial decision to dissolve the assembly within weeks of being constituted in February, 2005, when the elections had thrown up a hung House and a stalemate triggered fears of "horse-trading".


Bihar, thereafter, became the only state in the country to have gone to polls twice in a year, even as the governor invited censure from the Supreme Court for the controversial move.

Singh died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Saturday morning. He was 86.