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{{Short description|Former finance minister of Bihar, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Aklu Ram Mahto
| image = File:Aklu Ram Mahto.jpeg
| caption =
| office = Member of the [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start = 1995
| term_end = 2000
| constituency = [[Bokaro Assembly constituency]]
| predecessor = [[Samresh Singh]]
| successor = [[Samresh Singh]]
| birth_place = [[Bokaro Steel City|Bokaro]]
| birth_date = 1940
| death_date = 2020
| spouse =
| party = [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]]<br/>[[Trinamool Congress]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies-gur|title=नहीं रहे बिहार के पूर्व मंत्री व बोकारो के पूर्व विधायक रहे अकलू राम महतो|website=[[Prabhat Khabar]]|date=27 November 2020 |access-date=11 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811042859/https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies-gur|url-status=live}}</ref>
| alma_mater = [[Raja Shiva Prasad College|RSP College, Jharia]]
| profession = Politician<br/> social worker, associated with organisation called Kushwaha Panchayat Parishad.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/west-bengal/bardhaman-10727628.html|title=Kushwaha community has important role to play in nation's development|website=jagran.com|access-date=11 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811192031/https://www.jagran.com/west-bengal/bardhaman-10727628.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| education =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Aklu Ram Mahto''' (1940 – 2020) was an Indian politician from [[Jharkhand]], who served as Minister for Finance and Institution in undivided Bihar. He was a member of [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]], having served as important functionary in several other political parties in past. He was a member of the [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]] via Bokaro constituency. He won the Bihar Assembly Election in 1995 securing 99,798 votes. Mahto won [[Vidhan Sabha]] elections in the year 1980 and 1995. He had contested [[Lok Sabha]] elections from [[Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency|Dhanbad]] on four occasions while from [[Giridih Lok Sabha constituency|Giridih]] and [[Hazaribagh Lok Sabha constituency|Hazaribagh]] once. Mahto was also associated with the movement, which started on the question of including [[Manbhum]] in [[West Bengal]]. He was one of the prominent leader to voice support for the rights of displaced people, who needed rehabilitation after the establishment of Bokaro Steel Plant. For four decades, after coming into existence of [[Bokaro Assembly constituency]] in 1977, he remained pivotal in its politics.<ref name="Former MLA Bihar">{{cite news |last1=Mahto |first1=Aklu Ram |title=Cabinet Minister in Unified Bihar |url=http://www.uniindia.net/news/east/people-jharkhand-aklu-ram-mahto/2246645.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |agency=United News of India |date=27 Nov 2020 |archive-date=11 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811192029/http://www.uniindia.net/news/east/people-jharkhand-aklu-ram-mahto/2246645.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies-gur|title=नहीं रहे बिहार के पूर्व मंत्री व बोकारो के पूर्व विधायक रहे अकलू राम महतो|website=prabhat khabar|date=27 November 2020 |access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811042859/https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies-gur|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/former-bihar-minister-aklu-ram-mahato-passes-away-920475.html|title=Former Bihar minister Aklu Ram Mahato passes away|website=Deccan Herald|access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811192031/https://www.deccanherald.com/india/former-bihar-minister-aklu-ram-mahato-passes-away-920475.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Khabar/>

==Biography==
Mahto was born on 16 May 1947, in Chas block, Narayanpur [[Panchayati raj|Panchayat]]. His ancestral village was Chaura village. He belonged to [[Koeri]] caste.{{efn|Individually, each one of them has the ability to corner a sizeable number of votes. For instance, Aklu Ram Mahto, being a Koeri, has a ready bank of over 200,000 Koeri votes, while Ramendra Kumar commands a good following in the coal belt. However, ranged against each other they will eat into each other votes. The same is true about the other non-BJP candidates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.rediff.com/election/1999/sep/15bihar.htm|title=The Lotus blooms in Hazaribagh|website=reddif|access-date=25 August 2023|archive-date=25 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825205400/https://m.rediff.com/election/1999/sep/15bihar.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>}} His father Lalu Mahto (Koiri) was a farmer, while his mother Chhutia Devi was a housewife. He was younger of two sons of his parents. Mahto's father, Lalu Mahto (Koiri) sent him to Asansol Primary school, to learn [[Bengali language|Bangla]] language. Being good at studies, he was promoted soon to higher class and completed his primary education earlier than it was about to be completed. For secondary education, he was shifted to Pindargadhiya Foundation School. Mahto completed his [[matriculation]] in 1962, from Ramrudra High School, and by 1974, he earned several degrees, which included a bachelor's degree in law. After completing his education, he was selected for an administrative job in coal mines, but did not join it. Mahto was among the people, whose land were taken by government for establishment of [[Bokaro Steel City|steel city of Bokaro]]. The compensation in most of the cases was not provided to them. Consequently, he became an activist for the rights of displaced, who suffered due to land acquisition. Despite clearing the interview for a post of personal manager in an institution called BSL, he refused to join it and participated in the movement against [[Indira Gandhi]]'s government, after the imposition of [[The Emergency (India)|National Emergency in India]].<ref name=Khabar>{{cite web|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahto-funeralcremated-with-state-honors-politics-cm-hemant-soren-bihar-jharkhand-politics-gur|title=झारखंड के बोकारो की राजनीति के ध्रुव थे अकलूराम महतो, निधन पर सीएम हेमंत|website=[[Prabhat Khabar]]|date=28 November 2020 |access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=10 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810232703/https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/bokaro/former-bihar-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahto-funeralcremated-with-state-honors-politics-cm-hemant-soren-bihar-jharkhand-politics-gur|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=
10Jagran/>

There were attempts to arrest him during National Emergency, but he managed to escape and after the conclusion of Emergency period, took part in active politics. He played important role in victory of [[A. K. Roy|A K Roy]] in 1977 elections. Mahto was a polymath and he knew various languages, which included Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, Nagpuri, Bangla and [[Khortha language|Khortha]]. He also played important role in giving recognition to [[Khortha language|Khortha]] and [[Kurmali language]]. He was a distinguished author of Khortha language. Many of his compositions in this language were included as a part of Khortha literature.<ref name=Khabar/>

Mahto's entry into politics was preceded by his activism. He participated in movement against inclusion of Manbhum district in West Bengal in 1956–57 at the age of eleven. Besides leaders like Parvati Charan Mahto and Janki Mahto, he led this movement through his Chas Police Station area Students Union. Mahto was soon recognised as a leader of [[Kushwaha]] community and other [[Other Backward Class|Backward Castes]] due to his activism. On 6 April 1968, he organised a blockade of Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]], when she arrived in Bokaro to inaugurate the work of a steel plant. Mahto, accompanied by his followers surrounded Gandhi and latter was greeted with anti-government slogans. This protest was successful and Gandhi called the leaders of movement, including Mahto for a discussion regarding permanent solution for the displaced people. As a consequence of these deliberations, the locals, who were victims of displacement, due to establishment of Bokaro Steel City, were given priority in local jobs in steel plants. Initially, he led this movement under the umbrella of Socialist Party, but later he established 'Displaced Development Committee'.<ref name=Khabar/>

His first experience in electoral politics of state level came in 1977, when the Bokaro Assembly constituency was just created. He had good relationship with [[Karpoori Thakur]], but he was denied the ticket to contest from [[Janata Party]]. Consequently, he decide to fight the election as independent candidate, losing to his political rival Samresh Singh. He again contested in [[1980 Bihar Legislative Assembly election]]s, and this time became victorious by defeating Samresh Singh, who was a candidate of [[Bhartiya Janata Party]] then. Mahto's second electoral victory came in 1995, as in 1985 and 1990 Assembly elections, he finished in second position. Mahto later served in several political parties on important positions, which include [[Lok Dal]] and [[Jharkhand Mukti Morcha]]. In his later years, he joined [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]], but rebelled with the party after its decision to nominate Bachha Singh as its candidate from the constituency, where Mahto wanted to contest in the 2005 Assembly elections.<ref name=Khabar/>

Mahto was also a member of Jharkhand unit of Kushwaha Mahasabha— a caste organisation of the [[Koeri]] caste along with other leaders like [[Bhubneshwar Prasad Mehta]]. From the platform of this organisation, Mahto had spoken several times about increasing political participation of the members of Kushwaha caste.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/ramgarh-16025595.html|title=कुशवाहा समाज संगठित हो : भुनेश्वर मेहता|website=Jagran|access-date=11 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811202755/https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/ramgarh-16025595.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/bokaro-7547502.html|title=सूझबूझ से करें समाज सेवा : अकलू|website=Jagran|access-date=11 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811202817/https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/bokaro-7547502.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/news/JHA-BOK-MAT-latest-bokaro-news-021002-348443-NOR.html|title=राजनीतिक प्रतिनिधित्व करें कुशवाहा समाज के लोग : मेहता|website=Bhaskar|date=4 August 2014 |access-date=11 August 2023|archive-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418191003/https://www.bhaskar.com/news/JHA-BOK-MAT-latest-bokaro-news-021002-348443-NOR.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

He considered the 'right to vote' as most important privilege of democracy. By 2019, Mahto retired from active politics; he was residing with his family in his native village Chaura, after quitting politics, still he motivated the youth for exercising their franchise.<ref name=
10Jagran>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/bokaro-voters-used-to-reach-polling-stations-by-bullock-cart-and-bicycle-19787866.html|title=बैलगाड़ी व साइकिल से मतदान केंद्र पहुंचते थे मतदाता|website=Dainik Jagran|access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811025723/https://www.jagran.com/jharkhand/bokaro-voters-used-to-reach-polling-stations-by-bullock-cart-and-bicycle-19787866.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Dhanbad Legislative Assembly constituency was known for high pitched political battle between Samaresh Singh and Aklu Mahto, both man represented this constituency for number of times. After being elected to [[Jharkhand Legislative Assembly]], both political rivals aspired to become a member of parliament. However, even after contesting in Lok Sabha elections for a number of times, neither of them were able to secure victory. After retiring from politics, Aklu Mahto declared Rajesh Mahto as his political heir. Soon after retirement of Mahto, Samresh Singh also announced his retirement, declaring Sangram Singh as his political heir.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/elections/lok-sabha-vetron-ledar-samresh-singh-and-aklu-ram-mahto-will-not-fight-this-ls-election-19052123.html|title=JHARKHAND: अबकी धनबाद के रण में नहीं दिखेंगे दो चर्चित चुनावी लड़ाके|website=[[Dainik Jagran]]|access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=10 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810230409/https://www.jagran.com/elections/lok-sabha-vetron-ledar-samresh-singh-and-aklu-ram-mahto-will-not-fight-this-ls-election-19052123.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Revolutionary ==
Mahto had played an important role in the Jharkhand movement demand for the formation of a separate [[Jharkhand]] state within the constitutional framework of independence. Mahto was an ardent follower of socialist leader [[Jagdeo Prasad]], he had organised several commemoration ceremony for him in [[Bokaro Steel City|Bokaro]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/jharkhand/bokaro/news/bharat-lenin-amar-shahid-jagdev-babu-aklu-ram-mahato-jagdev-babu-people-people-sunil-kumar-mahato-ram-ballabh-mahato-ajay-kumar-kushwaha-rajesh-kumar-mahato-sn-singh-district-jagrao-chowk-bokaro-bihar-government-portrait-picture-birth-anniversary-occasion-ideology-relevance-views-front-program-reservation-caste-community-021003-3808693.html|title=Aklu Mahto celebrates Jagdeo Prasad birth anniversary|website=Bhaskar|date=3 February 2019 |access-date=10 August 2023|archive-date=11 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811013347/https://www.bhaskar.com/jharkhand/bokaro/news/bharat-lenin-amar-shahid-jagdev-babu-aklu-ram-mahato-jagdev-babu-people-people-sunil-kumar-mahato-ram-ballabh-mahato-ajay-kumar-kushwaha-rajesh-kumar-mahato-sn-singh-district-jagrao-chowk-bokaro-bihar-government-portrait-picture-birth-anniversary-occasion-ideology-relevance-views-front-program-reservation-caste-community-021003-3808693.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/jharkhand/other-cities/former-bihar-government-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies/articleshow/79442578.cms|title=बिहार सरकार के पूर्व मंत्री एवं बोकारो के पूर्व विधायक अकलू राम महतो का निधन|website=Navbharat Times|access-date=12 August 2023|archive-date=12 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812174106/https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/jharkhand/other-cities/former-bihar-government-minister-and-former-bokaro-mla-aklu-ram-mahato-dies/articleshow/79442578.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Dev Dyal Kushwaha]]

== References ==
'''Notes'''
{{Notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Bihar MLAs 1995–2000]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 1980–1985]]
[[Category:Rashtriya Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:People from Bokaro district]]
[[Category:Samyukta Socialist Party politicians]]
[[Category:Lok Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Trinamool Congress politicians from Jharkhand]]
[[Category:Jharkhand Mukti Morcha politicians]]
[[Category:People from Jharkhand]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Bihar]]
[[Category:People from Dhanbad]]

Aklu Ram Mahto - Revision history

Marinazhg at 20:08, 18 April 2026