Golam Yazdani

Dr. Golam Yazdani (1917–2009) was a controversial Indian politician from West Bengal. He was a six-time MLA, a three-time MP and a cabinet minister in the Indian National Congress government of West Bengal. He was in jail for political reasons between 1971 and 1974, for around three years. He went underground for about twenty months during the emergency.

Early years Golam Yazdani, son of Moulvi Raisuddin Ahmed, was born at Barogachi in Malda district in January 1917. He qualified as a doctor, passing M.B.B.S., DTM & H, and D.G.O. from Calcutta Medical College, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine and Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, all at Kolkata. He married Maleka Begum in 1980 and had two sons. 1962, 1967 and 1969, and as a CPI(M) candidate in 1971. He did not contest as a candidate in 1972 and won it back as an independent candidate in 1977.

At that time Kharba assembly segment was part of Raiganj. Dr. Golam Yazdani successfully contested the Raiganj parliamentary seat as a Congress candidate in 1980, 1984 and 1989.

He was a cabinet minister for civil defence and passport in West Bengal from 1969 to 1970.

Dr. Golam Yazdani's popularity was because of his being a doctor and his social work.

Death Dr. Golam Yazdani died at his Chanchal residence on 14 May 2009. He was 93. He was survived by two sons. His elder son Alberuni was active in politics in the Congress party. Alberuni later contested in 2011 Assembly elections as an independent candidate.