BJP MLA, Political Heavyweight Devender Rana passes away

Jammu Tawi: A top Business Entrepreneur and BJP's Political Heavyweight Devinder Singh Rana has passed away in Delhi, sources close to the family said. He was 59.

Devender Rana, rose to limelight when he founded a personal vehicles enterprises JamKash Vehicleads, at Jammu and other centers successfully. In the recent Assembly elections, he had won the Nagrota Assembly seat with the highest margin ever and was expected to be the Legislative Party leader within a few days. He died before that. In the 2014 assembly elections, he was the richest contestant by his own declaration.

Rana was an inspirational entrepreneur who single-handedly changed the personal car market in Jammu Kashmir and emerged as the top car seller in north India from the Maruti Brand. He also founded the TakeOne TV in Jammu that, unlike its Kashmir chapter, is still running.

Rana was not well for a long time and had lost a lot of weight in the last six months. He had undergone a procedure in the recent past also.

Politically, Rana joined JK National Conference and was a close confidant of Omar Abdullah. During Omar's last term as Chief Minister, he was his Political Adviser as well.

Originating from Doda district, Rana first gained recognition as a successful entrepreneur by founding the Jamkash Vehicleades group literally from scratch. His shift to politics began with the National Conference (NC), where he rose to prominence as an advisor to Omar Abdullah and Provincial President of the party.

Rana was the son of former bureaucrat Rajinder Singh Rana and the brother of Union MoS Jitendra Singh. Former Chief Secretary SS Baloria was his father-in-law.

After graduating in Civil Engineering from NIT Kurukshetra, he ventured into business by founding his own automobile company.

Rana's first significant political victory was winning the Nagrota assembly seat for the NC in a traditionally BJP stronghold, a testament to his cross-community appeal. His advocacy for a Dogra Chief Minister and the Jammu Declaration, aiming for regional empowerment and the restoration of statehood for Jammu, solidified his standing in local politics. After leaving the NC in 2021, he joined the BJP, where he continued to champion regional cause. Known for his rapport with both Hindu and Muslim communities, particularly the Gujjars, Rana has become a central figure in Jammu's political landscape.

Rana registered the highest winning margin of 30472 votes against his nearest NC rival Joginder Singh who polled 17641 votes in the 2024 assembly elections.

Rana is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.