IK Gujral, thirteenth Prime Minister of India
His tenure is marked by his government’s controversial decision to recommend presidential rule in Uttar Pradesh in 1997.
Inder Kumar Gujral (1997-1998): Inder Kumar Gujral, also called IK Gujral, served as the 13e Prime Minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998. He was born on December 4, 1919.
Gujral became Prime Minister as a consensus candidate among others including Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav, and the government was supported from outside by the Congress.
His tenure is marked by his government’s controversial decision to run for president in Uttar Pradesh in 1997. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Uttar Pradesh, led by Kalyan Singh, sought a vote of confidence after violence and unruly scenes occurred in the assembly.
President KR Narayanan refused to sign the recommendation and sent it back to the government for reconsideration, and the Allahabad High Court also ruled against the President’s rule in Uttar Pradesh.
Gujral passed away on November 30, 2012.