Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Uma Shankar Singh, 55, died after struggling with a brain tumour on Wednesday evening, party leaders confirmed.
Singh had been treated for the disease for some time, but the elections were conducted from the Rasra for his political constituency, Ballia, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. He has died of the disease despite being cared for, and the BSP and his followers are mourners.
Of the seven BSP MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Uma Shankar Singh was the only one, and thus one of the most prominent among the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh. His passing of is a big loss for BSP, as their legislative power has decreased in the recent years.
Known for his strong grassroots connect in Ballia, Singh enjoyed considerable support among voters in the Rasra constituency. He became known for his commitment to making issues around him known and his personal involvement in his community.
When he passed away, political and party leaders condoled him and proclaimed him a hard-working public representative who never abandoned his responsibilities despite his being ill.
His passing is expected to create a political vacuum in Rasra, where he had established himself as a key leader. It also has a setback for the Bahujan Samaj Party which was using Singh as its sole voice in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
His family and party will likely release additional information on his death and official tributes in the coming days.