Former Manipur minister Md Alauddin, ex-CM Alimuddin's son, dies at 79

Former Manipur minister and two-time Lilong MLA Md Alauddin has died at the age of 79, according to reports in Imphal Times and E-Pao. He was the eldest son of the late Md Alimuddin, a former Chief Minister of Manipur.

Imphal Times reported his death on November 3, and a profile by historian Dr Syed Ahmed published by E-Pao on November 6 gives the date as November 2. The Namaz-e-Janaza was held at his residence at Lilong Turel Ahanbi.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand, former Chief Minister N Biren Singh and the Manipur Ex-MLA Welfare Association condoled his death, Imphal Times reported.

Political career

Alauddin entered politics through the Manipur Peoples Party (MPP), which his father had helped found, after Alimuddin's death on February 3, 1983. Alimuddin had served as Chief Minister after the 1972 Assembly election, when the MPP formed a government with other parties.

According to the E-Pao profile, Alauddin won the Lilong seat on an MPP ticket in 1984, defeating Congress candidate Md Helaluddin Khan by 4,369 votes to 4,041. He lost to Helaluddin Khan in 1990, and won again in 2000 as a Nationalist Congress Party candidate, defeating Congress's Dr Maneruddin Sheikh by 6,706 votes to 6,553.

He later joined the Manipur State Congress Party and became Minister of State for Minorities and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) and the Command Area Development department in the W Nipamacha Singh government in 2000-2001. The MOBC department had been carved out of the Tribal Development department in 1998-99, and he was its first minister.

Public life beyond the Assembly

Alauddin also served as a member of the Khadi and Village Industries Board, and as chairman and later member of the Manipur State Hajj Committee, the statutory body that manages the annual Hajj pilgrimage from the state.

Born on October 21, 1946, at Lilong Turel Ahanbi, he passed his matriculation from Lilong High Madrassa in 1964 and his pre-university course in science from DM College in Imphal. He worked for some years as a substitute assistant teacher at Sawombung Junior High School before entering politics.

He is survived by his wife, Guler Rahman, six sons and four daughters.