Gajendra Singh, the man who committed suicide by hanging from a neem tree at the AAP’s kisan rally at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday afternoon, was more than a farmer. He was a social activist, actively involved in politics and also fought Vidhan Sabha elections.
Also, Singh ran a shop that sold turbans. During his early years, Singh was involved in politics with his paternal uncle Gopal Singh Nangal. He took a plunge into active politics by working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2003, Gajendra was refused a ticket from the BJP. later on he joined the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Singh tried his luck in the Vidhan Sabha elections on SP ticket and he lost to the BJP’s Alka Singh. He worked closely with the SP till 2013 and left the party in the same year for the Congress in the hope of a Vidhan Sabha ticket. After facing disappointment from the Congress, he moved on to work with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Gajendra, who belonged to Jhamarwara village in Bandikui panchayat, also left a note before suicide mentioning that his father had thrown him out of the house because of crop loss. Gajendra’s niece wedding was schedule for the same day he committed suicide. Before leaving for Delhi, he had told his younger brother that he was going to participate in the AAP rally. Gajendra hardly missed any farmers’ rally.