Devender Singh Rana, a BJP MLA from Jammu and Kashmir and younger brother of Union Minister Jitendra Singh, died of prolonged illness at a hospital in Faridabad on Thursday. He was 59 years old.
Rana was recently elected to the Nagrota Assembly seat of Jammu district in Jammu district and is considered a strong voice in the Dogra community that dominates the district.
Expressing shock over Rana’s death, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary tweeted, “This news is very disappointing on a difficult day. Condolences to his family and PMO @DrJitendraSingh ji for the loss of their younger brother. Deepest. condolences to the family and his loved ones.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condoled Rana’s death. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Devender Singh Rana ji. In his passing away, we have lost a patriotic and highly respected leader, who was devoted to the welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. My deepest condolences to his family and friends, Om Shanti, wrote on X.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her condolences to the family, saying, “I am shocked to hear about the passing away of Devender Rana ji.
“Rana was a prominent political figure in Jammu and Kashmir. His sudden death has left the BJP and its supporters in shock,” said BJP spokesperson Sajid Yousuf.
Former vice chancellor of Jammu University, Amitabh Mattoo, said, “Deeply saddened to hear of the passing away of Devender Rana, a brilliant businessman and political leader. They knew him well as the vice chancellor of Jammu University. He was – without a doubt – a gifted leader and once a great confidant of Omar Abdullah.”
Once a trusted aide to Omar Abdullah during his last tenure as Chief Minister, Rana resigned from the National Congress in October 2021 after more than two decades with the party before joining the BJP.
A former businessman, Rana registered a record margin of 30,472 votes against his nearest National Conference rival Joginder Singh in the recently held Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections to retain his Nagrota seat for a second term. He had earlier won from Nagrota in the 2014 elections on a National Conference ticket.
As the news of Rana’s death spread, his teammates, friends and fans flocked to his residence in Gandhi Nagar in Jammu to offer condolences to the bereaved family.
Rana is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Jitender Singh came to Jammu when he got the news of his brother’s death. Rana’s body is expected to arrive in this city to perform the last rites on Friday.
(with input from PTI)
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