Sahib Singh Verma dies in road accident

New Delhi/Alwar, June 30: Saheb Singh Verma, former Delhi Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, died in a road accident near Shajapur, about 70 km from Jaipur, this afternoon, according to reports received at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

Verma was travelling from Jaipur to Delhi in a Tata Safari which collided head on with a truck at Khandula village on Alwar-Delhi section. Besides Verma, two more people, including the driver of the vehicle and security personnel, were also killed in the accident, which occurred at 1430 hrs.

Their bodies have been kept in Shajapur hospital.

One seriosuly injured has been referred to SMS hospital in Jaipur.

Verma was returning to Delhi after laying a foundation stone for a school in Neem Ka Thana in Sikar district.

Soon after learning about the accident, BJP President Rajnath Singh spoke to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to ascertain the details. Ms Raje immediately left for the spot, party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

Verma was Labour Minister in the NDA Government headed by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Earlier, he was Delhi Chief Minister between 1995 and 1998 after then Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana quit office in the wake of hawala allegtions.

In his condolence message, the BJP President said he was saddened by the death of Verma, which is a colossal loss for the party.

Mr Singh said Verma had a very old association with the Sangh Parivar and had his influence beyond the borders of the national capital.

A librarian-turned politician, Verma was born on March 15, 1943 in a farmer's family at Mundka Village in Delhi.

He began his career as a librarian in Delhi University's Bhagat Singh College.

Formerly an RSS worker, Verma graduated to politics with getting elected to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on a Janata Party ticket in 1977.

In 1983, he got elected again on a BJP ticket and remained a Councillor till 1989. Later, he became Education Minister in the Delhi Government in 1993 after winning the assembly elections.

UNI