2409:4071:239A:1C2D:0:0:247:8A4 at 11:25, 5 January 2022

2022-01-05T11:25:23Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image =
| office = Member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]]
| term_start = 14 June 2016
| term_end =
| predecessor = [[Ashwathanarayana]], [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]

| successor =
| constituency =

|birth_date ={{birth_date and age|1948|7|14|df=yes}}
|birth_place =[[Rajsamand district|Kunwariya]]
| occupation = [[Politician]]
|children = Deepak Kumar, Sanjay Kumar
|party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
|alma_mater =
|profession =
| nationality =
|sibling =
|website =

}}

'''Lehar Singh Siroya''' is an Indian politician who is the current Member of [[Karnataka Legislative Council]] from 14 June 2016. He is a leader of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] in [[Karnataka]]. A two time MLC, Lehar Singh is an entrepreneur by profession and a politician and member of the Bharatiya Janta Party. A senior party member, he has held various positions from time to time.

In the past, Lehar Singh was suspended from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] for sometime for criticising [[L. K. Advani]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BJP-suspends-Lehar-Singh-Siroya-for-criticising-Advani/articleshow/20115351.cms|title=BJP suspends Lehar Singh Siroya for criticising Advani|date=18 May 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> On 10 June 2016, he was elected to the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]]. He secured 27 first preference votes (13 of [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] MLAs which were left after electing [[V. Somanna]] so 14 first preference votes from other independent and smaller party MLAs) and won after adding second preference votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=398830|title=Karnataka MLC poll results: Congress-4, BJP-2 and JD (S) 1|date=10 June 2016|work=[[Daijiworld Media|www.daijiworld.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/congress-bags-four-seats-bjp-two-jd-s-one-in-council-polls-116061001178_1.html|title=Congress bags four seats, BJP two, JD-S one in Council polls|date=10 June 2016|work=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref>

Lehar Singh is a staunch follower of Prime Minister Shri [[Narendra Modi]] and admires his policies. Lehar Singh is perceived to be close to the then Chief Minister [[B. S. Yeddyurappa|B.S. Yeddyurappa]] and was a crucial link between the Karnataka BJP unit and High Command.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/away-from-photo-ops-he-is-bsys-bridge-with-high-command/|title=Away from photo ops,he is BSY's bridge with high command|date=2010-10-30|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Political career ==
While Lehar Singh is known for taking up issues like drug menace and many others, on the other hand he is popular across the country for always being surrounded by controversies. In 2010, Singh sparked an uproar across the country when he published an advertisement in all Hindi dailies congratulating PM Narendra Modi, who was then the Gujarat Chief Minister for having won in the panchayat elections.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Modi-supporters-in-BJP-call-upon-him-to-move-to-the-centre/article15794317.ece|title=Modi supporters in BJP call upon him to move to the centre|last=Vyas|first=Neena|date=2010-10-28|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The advertisement was also interpreted as a response to Sushma Swaraj's statement during her campaign in Bihar where she mocked Narendra Modi for having a reach only in Gujarat and not the rest of the country.

In May 2013, Lehar Singh wrote an open letter<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/142158574/Lahar|title=Lahar {{!}} Independent India {{!}} Politics Of India|website=Scribd|language=en|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref> alleging that LK Advani, the BJP Party President had compromised on corruption in the past when it suited his interest. He accused Advani for taking a moral high ground over corruption and pushing for B.S. Yeddyurappa's removal from the BJP, which resulted in the party's loss in the Karnataka state election. Lehar Singh was suspended by the party over the issue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/is-this-the-party-of-indira-or-sonia-where-you-cant-question-leaders/285610|title='Is This The Party Of Indira Or Sonia Where You Can't Question Leaders?'|work=Outlook|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/operation-kamala-will-not-help-bjp-provide-stable-govt-says-lahar-singh/article25728083.ece|title='Operation Kamala' will not help BJP provide stable govt., says Lahar Singh|last=Kumar|first=B. s Satish|date=2018-12-12|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-12-13|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

Lehar Singh has taken up the cause of drug menace in Bengaluru and Karnataka in the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]] for a long time. He first raised the issue of rising drug consumption of teens and young adults in March 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/662509/drug-menace-dont-allow-state.html|title=Drug menace: Don't allow state to become 'Udta Karnataka', BJP tells govt|date=2018-03-03|work=Deccan Herald|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en}}</ref> Following this, he held meetings and also a press conference to caution the state government and urge them to take immediate action. Lehar Singh demanded that the state government take stringent action and issue capital punishment for drug offenders following the footsteps of Punjab.

== Community reach out to Armed forces & Ex-servicemen ==
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to dedicate Diwali festival to Armed forces and celebrate with Soldiers and their families, Lehar Singh through the organisation "Samanvay" organised an event to reach out to soldiers, their families and express society's respect and love towards them. As part of this initiative, ''"Samanvay"'' invited soldiers and their family members for the ''‘Deepothsav''’, a musical tribute of patriotic songs, followed by lunch, in Bengaluru.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Siroya, Lahar Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Karnataka Legislative Council]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Karnataka]]
[[Category:1948 births]]

Lehar Singh Siroya - Revision history

2409:4071:239A:1C2D:0:0:247:8A4 at 11:25, 5 January 2022