Gopalganj: Kali Prasad Pandey, former MP from Gopalganj and a veteran politician of Bihar, died late on Friday evening at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. He was 82 and had been ill for some time. He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters. The news of his death brought a wave of sadness across Gopalganj district, where he remained a respected figure for decades.
Pandey was born in 1943 in Ramjita village of Kuchaykot block. Coming from a family with a strong political background, he was the second of five brothers. His younger brother Aditya Narayan Pandey served as a legislative councillor, while his youngest brother Shailesh Pandey was active in local politics. From his teenage years, Pandey was known for raising his voice for the rights of ordinary people.
He entered politics in 1980 by winning the Gopalganj assembly seat as an independent candidate. Four years later, he created history by winning the 1984 Lok Sabha election as an independent, becoming the only MP from Bihar without party backing. His popularity impressed then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and Pandey later joined the Congress. Over the years, he was also associated with the RJD and LJP, remaining active in state politics even though he never repeated his early electoral success. In 2020, he returned to Congress and contested the Kuchaykot assembly seat.
On Saturday, his body was brought to his native village. Large crowds of villagers, relatives, supporters and political leaders gathered to pay their last respects. Leaders including MLC Rajiv Kumar, Baikunthpur MLA Prem Shankar Prasad, Hathua MLA Rajesh Kumar Singh and district party representatives were present. Family members said the last rites would take place in Ramjita village on Sunday morning.
