Ashok Kumar
Makhan Lal Fotedar, a veteran Congress leader who was a close confidante of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, died on Wednesday. He died at a hospital in Gurugram on the outskirts of Delhi. “Peace be to his soul.”
Makhan Lal Fotedar, a veteran Congressman who rose from a middle class pandit family of tinny Mattan Village of South Kashmir,to a close confidante of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Fotedhar was MLA from Phalgam assembly constituency and became MOS in the Mir Qasim’s cabinet.
Fotedhar got close to Indira Gandhi when he was inducted in her election management process in 1977 by her principal secretary PN Dhar,as replacement for controversial election manager Yashpal Kapoor. She lost election.Fotedhar had impressed Mrs Gandhi by his hard work,loyalty and political skills.He maintained his contact with her during political oblivion phase.In 1980 election he was again brought in the election office of Indiraji.
After she became Prime Minister,She made Fotedhar a political Secretary and he operated from a 9×8 room office in 1,Akbar Road,her official residence.Around same time Vijay Dhar was also inducted to help her as an aide.Dhar left the assignment after a short siting.Not much is in public domain as to why he left.? Fotedhar gradually strengthened his position within the Congress affairs as an aide of CP to become one of the most trusted and powerful persons in the party.He was a two-time Rajya Sabha member and a former union minister.
He enjoyed the trust of Indira Gandhi who had made him her political secretary in 1980. After her death, Rajiv Gandhi also made him his political secretary for three years, before inducting him in his Cabinet as a minister.
Mr. Fotedar also was a member of the powerful Congress Working Committee (CWC),the highest decision-making body of the party, for a long time. Even now, he was a permanent invitee to the CWC.
I may only state couple of facts shared by the departed soul with me ,that is-Mir Qasim had some reservations for his induction in his cabinet because of inner party dynamics much though he was his devout supporter.He with heavy heart had to lobby with Congress high command for his induction. Despite the decision conveyed by principal secretary to PM who was close friend of Qasim,namely P N Dhar,he dithered for quite some time and finally inducted him.
Fotedhar had requested Mufti Syed as PCC president to recommend his name for a Rajya Sabha ticket from J & K State but Mufti did not oblige him and subtly declined.On his turn Fotedhar in turn managed Gulam Rasool Kar’s nomination from nomination quota to Rajya Sabha without even informing Mufti that acted a shocker to him. Fotedhar was opposed to making Mufti as CM in partnership between Congress and PDP in 2002.Around that time for some reason they were not even on talking terms.Mufti requested me to broker peace and meeting between the two which I did and eventually he became Mufti’s big supporter for continuing as CM after his term of three years was over.
He in his book has thrown some hints but never expressed formal or informal displeasure for his maltreatment from 1998 onwards.Fotedhar was a loyal and respectable face of illustrious exiled Kashmiri Pandit Community in Congress Party.He was a devotee of Sofi saints of Kashmir and Mata Khirbawani. He was a man of deep culture,a valuable asset of the party and a great patriot.Most of his friends were admirers of his hospitality,his informative inside of party and governance affairs and mec Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while expressing her condolences on his demise, said, “in his long and active political career spanning over five decades, he tirelessly fought for the rights of people and served them with utmost integrity.”
She said Mr. Fotedar was “one of the guiding lights for the Congress party and has left behind a void which can never be filled.”
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