

my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 27 Jan: Former MLA from the Ghansali constituency and a senior Congress leader, Balbeer Singh Negi, passed away yesterday at the age of 77 following a prolonged illness. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Kailash Hospital in Dehradun. The news of his demise has sent a wave of mourning across political circles in Uttarakhand, particularly in the Ghansali region. Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were among those who have condoled the passing away of Negi.
Negi was a seasoned and considered to be very senior Congress leader who had begun his political career during the era of undivided Uttar Pradesh. He was first elected as an MLA in 1988 on a Janata Dal ticket and served as a member of the assembly. Following the formation of Uttarakhand state, he remained deeply involved in active politics.
In 2002, he earned the distinction of becoming the MLA from Ghansali after winning the election representing the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Subsequently, in 2007, he was elected to the assembly once again on a Congress ticket. While serving as a legislator under various political banners, he consistently raised his voice for the development of his region, focusing on roads, education and essential infrastructure. In recent months, he had also participated in a dharna following the natural calamity in Dharali and had demanded compensation for disaster-affected villagers of Dharali. He staged a sit-in protest regarding compensation, which saw ADM and SDM reach the site to address the matter.
Public representatives, political parties, social organisations, and local residents have expressed profound grief over his passing. Paying their tributes, many described him as a simple, sociable, and sensitive leader who remained dedicated to addressing public grievances.
