Tears and unity marked the UP Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, the budget session’s second day, as it bid adieu to Professor Shyam Bihari Lal (BJP) and Vijay Singh Gond (SP). CM Yogi Adityanath’s motion triggered a silent homage, suspending work till Wednesday’s all-important budget tabling.
Lal, Faridpur’s representative for two terms (2017-2022), was eulogized for affability and poor-centric works. An educationist tied to JNU and local history efforts, he passed aged 60 on January 2, 2026. Yogi stressed how such figures enrich politics with intellect and action, boosting backward areas’ growth.
Gond’s saga—from 1980’s debut to 2024 bypoll triumph in Dudhi—spanned eight wins amid party shifts. The tribal stalwart, dead at 71 on January 8, fixated on vital rights and amenities. His candid, struggle-hardened persona won hearts, his absence a blow to Adivasi causes statewide.
Bipartisan accolades flowed: SP’s Pandey, allies like Congress, JD(L), SBSP. Speaker Mahana voiced the chamber’s grief for these public good warriors. Adjourned amid prayers for families, the event spotlights enduring impacts over electoral tags.
With fiscal blueprint ahead, this pause honors lives that wove development, equity, and resilience into UP’s political fabric. Lal’s academic zeal and Gond’s grassroots grit exemplify selfless representation, leaving legacies to inspire future sessions.